Chapter 4

For once in a long while, Iris got time off work, courtesy of Lilly really pushing it on her, and sending her glare at those who would oppose it if it weren't for the Cyan hair maid telling with just that glare what would await anyone saying something contrary to what she was forcing the Crimson Princess to do, even the King himself, fuck, even if Shadow were to crash thebparty and demand a rematch, he would instead be trisected by her sword slashes if he even dared.

And she had to admit, she needed days off. More than ever lately. Walking around only in the far more casual clothes, a Skirt, a simple white shirt with a summer style Navy blue Blazer, and day to day shoes instead of the Boots she wore as part of her work clothes leading her Order of Knights, still barely recovered from losing Glenn, with Marco begrundingly accepting her apology for not stationing at least a few more Knights under them to improve their chances when that Attack at the Academy occurred. But she lacked trustworthy as well capable Knights.

Magic was a massive power booster, fighting someone without Magic to enhance their bodies or blades meant fighting an onesided battle, and sourcing Adamantite weapons would be impossible within Budget. Only Adamantite was able to equalize the Gear aspect of fighting Spellblades of similar or higher level, though Iris knew that if someone survives his training and is recognized by her Master, even if you were to fight a member of Shadow Garden with a wooden stick, unless it was a monster of their elite members, you wouldn't be worse for chances of victory despite handicapping oneself in weaponry and no use of Mana.

'But his regimen for me was diluted with the plenty of time he had to get me to shape. If he did his usual one... Doubt anyone else but those he trained for a while beforehand would manage it.'

So there wasn't any feasible way aside filtering the candidates and hooing no Cultists nor Shadow Garden agents managed to sneak through it. But for the time being, her Order would be operating at most under half strength since she only had about Two trustworthy Lieutenants to assign operational command. Not enough if they needed to spread over a wider area of the Capital or she needed to go to another area or nation.

Paying for the Crepe from yet another Mitsugoshi shop, Iris noticed something, and it got her mind to blip in attention. A customer paying the cashier next to her was using not a Zeni Coin, but a paper slip, it had very measured and quality cuts, rectangular, green, and as she enhanced her brain and eyes, it was clear there was a lot of work involved in the making of it.

'Paper Currency... This isn't something the Government made.'

Keeping a passive eye for things after that, she noticed that there were Bills of two kinds, high quality ones used by Kintori Bank, owned unsurprinsingly by Mitsugoshi's owner, and shody cheap copies used by the Merchant Association Bank. She could see the reasoning for it becoming popular. Contrary to the Zeni Currency, which was made with Metals, making carrying more than a certain monetary amount with one's person was impractical, and there were other valuable logistical advantages.

'But Paper is cheap, so the paper Currency value has to carry at least either the backing of more established valuables like Zeni coins, Gems or Ingots of high value metals, and/or the public's trust of the Organization creating and managing that paper currency.'

It was logical, but it was a type of logic most people, lower nobility included, was likely to not even think about. Iris knew the Royal Palace's most secure part had a storage Vault for all kinds of Riches, secret oieces of knowledge, as well as Class IV Artifacts, Class III were already rarely let out for Military Campaigns of Major Importance to National safety. Class IV meant it was not to be let out of those places even if some Gigantic Lizzard that spewed Blue blasts of Fire mixed with whatever unholy energies it used as fuel were to destroy the Capital.

The Crimson Princess knew of one Artifact in that Vault whose function was never deemed of superior Value. Why? It simply created Paper, high end paper at that, but with just a few tweaks its runes and built-in functions had as preset changes, It also printed other things with perfect consistency and flawless quality. Iris went to Kintori bank and exchanged a good 250 thousand Zeni for Paper currency of all their possible values. As she inspected it when she returned to the Palace, in her room, she knew it, it was high end, but it wasn't at the level of that Artifact.

"Lilly, Give these to Marie, I need to know how damn widespread these and the shodier versions are around the Nation."

"As you wish. Back to work already?"

"No, just leaving this so she can get me the answer when I return."

Deciding to get to recoup some of the time she and Alexia had spent distant from one another, she dragged her silver Princess of a Sister for the best bonding exercise, training!

"I thought you were taking time off!"

"I am, this is just the basics, you know that much, no?"

"Sure. Never knew you did what Cid does though, Stretching was it?"

"He does?"

Iris just let it end there, though within her mind, knowledge of that kind wasn't exactly a common thing, nor would one find without deep experimentation, things someone that for all Alexia and the few times she managed a Civilized talk with Claire spoke about him, shouldn't be the kind of knowledge to have.

'One only realizes the value of Body flexibility and tension free muscles either after a bad case of strained muscles or forced into days off due to excessive exhaustion of them. He is oddly hard working if that's the case.'

Magic being a deal breaker in how a battle might go would perhaps make his efforts go to waste, but there are other areas even a lowly Noble like Cid should have realized are reasonables path to rising success, but his academic records show middling average scores on tests, and though the Basic Swordsmanship instructors reported his performance as "Basics solid, average practical performance, low on mock battles.", She watched it from afar, when she wanted to see what Cid was doing under his oublic persona.

'Overall, he hides it enough that the stupid absurds he causes sometimes are skimmed by anyone. But the trend there is hard to not notice, he knows what he is doing. Aside academics that's, the surveilance agent Marie glued to him when he is acting as Cid tells me he has relied a lot on cheating the tests to pass them, top 20 strongest person in the world or not, there will be always areas you will not be able to cover with only 24 hours a day.'

Having Alexia show her growth with sparring lessons, Iris let out a smile, it wasn't the Spartan Lite progress she had to develop when Master trained her at a young age, but it had been significant. But if it is to compare with the monsters popping left right and center these days, she would need to train a lot harder. Not exactly an easy thing to slot in her schedule if she as the eldest sibling was to say about.

"That's enough. Good work, Alexia."

"Yeah, yeah, you're going easy again."

"I told you many times, going Serious is how my Master taught me, it's to really go at it to kill."

Remembering how her sister had been that time when she first became aware her Master was inside the Capital, Alexia shuts her trap.

"Fine."

"Honestly, if I stumble upon him, and you willing, maybe I could have him give some pointers and see if you would manage training under him."

"Really? If after that I don't become... You..."

Alexia gestures to the entirety of Iris, with the Silver Princess eyes emphasizing the Breasts, despite not doing anything but atanding still and breathing, she could notice the bits of jiggling just her breathing were causing.

"You think Master will steal your little heart from being interested in Cid? Oh my..."

'If he was up to it, I'm sure it would happen.'

"Shut up!"

Her sister left with a pouting face. Doing some extra reps, then a post training Meditation, Iris went to have a shower plus a proper bath.

...

The day after the next, Marie delivered in person her report.

"What a surprise, is it bad?"

Knowing the mischievous looking redhead Daughter of her Master, her coming in person meant dense news.

"Oh boy, it is packed! Here, some luxuries I got from sopending in thrifty purchases. What you would want to hear first?"

Receiving the Box of Luxury Mitsugoshi Chocolates, Iris put it to the side.

"Start with how widespread it is."

"Only the Capital and the closer by large towns or Connecting Cities, but the volume is large, no exacts, but I am sure there's far more Paper going around than the Combined Capital of the areas using it can offer, especially under short Notice."

"Suspicions on False paper bills?"

"Those cheap ass ones? For sure there's ill intent on it being so crappy. As for KinTori ones? Hard, but I believe someone might be prepping to have their go at it."

"I suppose the easy to make fake ones are a Ploy of the Cult?"

"Likely, it glows in the Merchant Union."

'How great... Midgar is now stuck in a silly Economic War between the Cult and probably Shadow Garden's Front Business to amass the money needed for their Operations againat the Cult. And either both are aware of this impending economic rugpull, or another party is all too eager to have both sides take a black eye when that person pulls the rug under both.'

"That party preparing to make KinTori fakes, any details?"

"My best Surveilance person is glued to Cid, so for now, best I got is that there are Properties owned by the Leader of the White Tower having oddly unusual movements during night. And there's a growing passive surveilance from Cult and Shadow Garden agents around the one Cart that leaves a Mansion in the Outskirts."

'Fuck me...'

Knock knock.

Iris doesn't remember calling anyone nor being told of a visitor. Still...

"Come in."

"Heya! Iris. It's a me, Mike!"

"Master..."

Iris glares at Marie, who turns her face to the left whistling.

"Don't blame her! Came here on a whim. So... I can guess you got a piece of work on your plate, huh?"

"Yes... Master, you know enough about Economics?"

"Me? The principles, as you know, yes, finer things? Best I know is that Money Printer going Brrrrrrrrr is a bad idea."

"What of a Plague of Fake paper money?"

"I suggest you have your Father prepare Sanctions for those two idiot businesses."

"Even when both are part of the two shadowy groups at war with each other?"

"Either the Authorities do something, or there will be loss of face and the Government Authority will lose power."

'Fuck me again!'

"Right, right, thanks. Now I jeed to prepare, I must start dismantling the Rug Pull..."

"Iris... So... I got an Idea for a new Plan..."

Hearing Mike say it, Iris knew she should not let it happen, but going out on to do stuff with him, her Heart and lower head gabged up on logic and reason, then she listened in. The plan was crude... Yet oh so effective.

X-X-X-X

"Why did I agree to this..."

Iris for the Nth time tonight, murmured to herself. Thanks to easy to wash away Hair dye, her iconic Crimson Red hair was now a very eye Catching Pink. Standing high above a building in front of the target, Mike, Mika, and a Girl the age of Alexia, black hair, dressed in a set of clothes that merged the Academy's uniform style with that of a Pizza chef.

"It will be fine, just keep your voice mute, while me and Mika do the loud talking there."

"Sure, Master, and who's this girl?"

"She? Young Cousin of a guy who owns a Pizzaria, she's here to nab money to oay off the debt of his Business."

She smiled awkwardly at those facts. She had decided to go through the stupid idea of a Plan, so she resigned to fate and put the Headgear on.

...

It had been yet another day where Mitsugoshi profited while Garter's corporation and its allies who joined as part of the MCA had middling to subpar performance. Mr. Garter sighed, only enjoying the minor boon that Gettan, the Cult's agent leading them (aka berating their incompetence and whatnot) had been out for a few days to handle matters that required his personal touch. It would have been just another day drinking and enjoying the peaceful time until the Theriantrope returned, were it not for what suddenly happened.

CRASH

"HELL YEAHHHH! YOU DIMWITTS BETTER GIVE US ALL THE MONEY AND GOODIES! YEEEHAWWWW!"

Hearing the sound of a door being kicked to dust and that obnoxious shouting that reached even his office in the farthest room to the Main hall of the Garter Bank association, the Fatso Ugly as fuck man known as Mr. Garter bumbled towards the balcony of the Main hall.

"What in the fuck?"

What he saw were the Mercenaries hired to do security turned into Paste and pieces of unknown meat, while Two female Bandits tied the Employees with Ropes, and the one shouting like some Maniac who huffed several Kilos of those weird Drugs one of the MCA associate businesses created and sold in the black market.

"Fucking great, a bunch of overdosed junkie bank robbers..."

He froze the moment he saw that Masked guy lock eyes with him. He did the most pathetic bumbly running away to his office for safety a ball of lard and uglyness could do.

He didn't know what happened afterwards or even how long it took, only when the door to his office was blown to dust and Gettan entered he sighed in relief, only to be grabbed by the neck of his drenched in sweat suit.

"You better start telling what the fuck happened!"

"B-b-bandits! F-four people! One guy and three women! I-i-it didn't seem Shadow, not at all... Rather... It was closer to the way that Stylish Bandit Slayer did amd behaved!"

Gettan dropped him, his ass meeting the wooden floor of the room. Gettan left, though he stopped by the doorway.

"From now on, I will have my Men as part of security. And for your knowledge, The Stylish Bandit Slayer was Shadow's past persona, we dealing with a Copycat wacko here."

Gartner could only stay with his mouth wide open.

"A copycat..."

X-X-X-X

"So? What we doing with all these Coins and valuables?"

Iris asks.

"Ramen gets her cut, the rest... We did get their financial ledgers, yes?"

Mika pulls them from between her tits. Mike checks the overall weight of the haul in total.

"Hmmm... They are moving the money away... Yup... They are prepping to Pull the rug and let Mitsugoshi crash!"

"So .. what's the plan? Or you only planned a Bank Heist for the fun of it?"

Iris felt the headaches looming over her. Work for her Order would rise by an exponential amount once whatever she did as part of his plans was completed.

"Ok. We rob MCA Banks two more times! Then we hit KinTori! Then... Myeah... We... How do I say it..."

"We Pull the Rug?"

Mika asks.

"No, not that... We won't have enough dough to trigger it... Hm yes... We use the money to start cooking. We gotta cook Mika!"

"If you going to do more Crimes, go fucking do it in the middle of the Velgatan Desert, not in Midgar, think of my workload, Master."

Iris cuts in before she finds herself stealing priceless pieces of art from the Orianna Kingdom's Museums.

"Ok, ok, i am joking. The cooking part. Once we get that haul of money, Ramen's cut aside, we get that money to kickstart something. It will help your work, I promise."

"Sure. Come with the Cake and Champagne when you make it reality."

Iris wanted to go to sleep. Tomorrow's daytime work would be hell.

...

"That concludes the Capital Police Order's report."

"I see... You may leave, Marco."

He saluted and left the office.

Piled over her office desk were Journals talking about the Heist, along some very sternly worded speech from Gartner, head of the Business she just helped steal money from last night. Along it, KinTori made a statement about the quality of their Security measures and the true safety of their Vaults. The Capital Police Order of Knights just released a bog standard statement about reinforcing Patrols and asking other Orders for support.

"How rare, Neither of those two Journal sides are talking about the "Stylish Bandit Slayer copycat". Why would that be?"

"It is only one attack, and Oberon wouldn't slander their leader's image. As for the Cult controlled Journals, they lack proper material to make a decent hit piece for that attack."

Lilly answers, putting a fresh cup of coffee on the desk. Taking a sip, it brings Iris alive for the time the caffeine stays in her body.

...

As Mike said, the following nights, Iris took part in two more attacks at Banks of businesses part of the Major Corporations Alliance. Once the third attack succeeded, the Cult controlled journals the day after were all shouting in loud and with certainty that the Stylish Bandit Slayer was the culprit for it, OMG, the Mitsugoshi Journal, focused on it being a Copycat. Both however, put in the front page the Taunting Provocation left in the front door of KinTori's Main Bank within the Capital. They were the next target.

"Are we not doing anything? Your Highness?"

Marco asks.

"Unfortunately, the attacks are too fast, by the time the forces we prepare arrived, they are gone. For now, prepare our men to assist with the Blockades in the Bank's Perimeter, seems the Police Knight Order's leadership wants to try regaining Face by themselves."

Iris points to Marco the Notice she received, asking her to refrain from taking active measures to stop the Heisters, and he would request her help if needed.

"That Idiot... What he-"

"-let him be, Marco... We are understaffed and not yet able to take a risky Operation like dealing with that kind of Criminal Spellblade, you read the reports I gave you, no?"

His face was complicated, he understood what level of threat the reports painted, but he wanted to do it, if just to make an attempt, despite the near certainty he would die.

"Glenn's death was bad enough, Marco, don't be an idiot and become a repeat of his case. Unfortunately, there was that Other threat letter, by a more known threat no less."

"Master Thief Akira of Greed..."

"Yes. The risk that the Palace's Vault are breached are too high. Keep a cool head while I help the Royal Guard protect those Artifacts."

"Understood."

'Sorry for the Lie Marco...'

X-X-X-X

"Tonight's the kast, right?"

"Yup. Totally. Then it's honest to Beatrix's business. Like giving some training to your sister, and also get Beatrix started on hers..."

"The War Goddess? Interesting."

"Had she not refused the first time, you wouldn't have been my disciple. Losong to Shadow changed her opinions?"

"Probably. Took me doing that despite not being exactly at the level you displayed back then."

"Hm. Sure, wanna restart things then?"

"I you insist."

Deep inside her mind, she was ripping her clothes and screaming FUCK YEAH.

"Ok, enough chit chat about Donuts. We gotta get Ze Drill."

Doning their Masks, they started.

X-X-X-X

Things had remained quiet, and Gamma hoped it would stay like that, with how Alpha was currently, she hoped Eta would decypher Lord Shadow's message with haste. That and with only her, Beta along remarkable Named numbers such as Nu and the redeployed to assist in this situation Lambda, Gamma hoped those disgraceful bastards, especially whoever's decided to misuse their Lord's other personas he donned for specific tasks, Stylish Bandit Slayer, would either meet the most Painful end possible, or embarrass themselves by chickening out of attacking KinTori.

The clock ticked, time passed by, the Reinforced Security reported nothing Amiss. Tension was running high, when would they blast their way through to try steal their Vault's contents? Once it had been three Hours past the time they announced the heist would be executed, Gamma though about just calling it a day and leave to the others. That's if she suddenly didn't slip in the air, falling headfirst to the carpeted floor. Picking herself up, she heard a faint sound. From the only Doorway giving access to the Elevator for transfering Valuables from the Front area to the Vault space.

"Click on one, two... Three is sticking a but... Four is set... Five too... Six? No, only five... Three has a false gate... And... Done..."

Click.

The door opened, revealing the four Heisters, bags full of goodies. And they all met Gamma's eyes.

"Oh... Hello there..."

The Masked man said.

Flaring her Mana to the Max, Gamma brought her Slime sword to action, not charging, but holding the only way for them to start their escape. Her Mana becoming that active rose the full Alert and several Nearby Numbers, in seconds the only exit for those criminals was blocked by them.

"Well... Here... Go do a Crime. You both."

The masked guy said. Stepping ahead of him, a Woman with a bright Pink hair and another with black hair, both using Masks, though the Pink one was using a plague doctor mask, the black haired one a Face fitting Domino mask while donning a Cowboy hat. They both start a running charge at them.

...

"Gah... Im...possible..."

Gamma, thanks to her unrivalled durability, was still conscious, the Reception Hall was a mess, several Numbers, Nu and Lambda included, lied knocked unconscious. Beta had been taken out in the second floor. Only five Numbers remained standing, all worn out and barely able to fight much more.

"Oh well... Time to leave... Buh bye... Hm?"

The four were about to leave through the Main entrance when the sole man put his guard up, they all backed from the Door, right after they did, it blew up.

"Not you as well... John... Smith..."

Gamma cursed. Now even him? What for? What's Shadow's plan like that?

"For a copycat, you sure are holding back, huh?"

"Oh well, what can I say..."

The two exchange banter. Only to both become blurs. magic wires and the Bastard sword clash, the Hall becoming a show of lights of all the Mana being used by both parties.

"Not bad."

John says.

"You're pretty good."

Copycat says.

Their fight keeps for a few more seconds. Stopping with both unscathed, back to their starting positions. The bastard sword is crumbling however.

"Oh well. Took it from some fifth rate failure of a security. Here we go."

Ditching that scrap metal, Copycat pulls out... A Shovel.

"You serious?"

Smith's mouth is that of incredulity.

"Better than that only a Nail."

Their fight restarts, Gamma looks around... And realizes the other three have left.

"FUCK!"

She curses.