There Is No Place For Fakes [EN]: Chapter 175

“Excuse me?”

Nasar was startled and tried to explain.

“No! There’s a reason I had to-”

But in the blink of an eye, Le Guin snapped his fingers and lifted Nasar into the air.

“What reason? Tell me, you little rascal. What possible reason could you have for undressing in someone else’s daughter’s room?”

Philomell clung to her father’s arm as he stormed into the room, fuming.

“Calm down! It’s not like Nasar *wanted* to take it off!”

“Phil! You’re not even an adult yet! No matter how much you two like each other, this is too early for this kind of thing!”

“No, you’re misunderstanding everything! Cardin and Lexion, stop him, please!”

But they nonchalantly followed Le Guin into their younger sister’s room.

“Le Guin, really. Why *did* he take it off? He must have been hot!”

“Cardin, you have no tact. Seriously. You’re supposed to pretend you don’t know in these situations…”

“Lexion, you’re misunderstanding too! Ugh, never mind! Le Guin, I’ll explain everything!”

“Enough! I saw it with my own eyes!”

He dismissed his daughter’s words and glared at Nasar with a fierce look.

“You little rascal, it’s true that you helped Phil at the Great Temple, so I made up my mind and even allowed you to date, but now you’re revealing your lecherous intentions? How long has it been since then?”

“I really didn’t!”

He felt like he was about to explode with frustration.

A little time passed.

“So, this is all because of the system?”

The Master of the Magic Tower, sitting on the sofa in his daughter’s room, crossed his legs.

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Philomell nodded vigorously, and he rested his chin on his hand.

“Actually, I’ve been trying to magically clothe him for a while now, but it’s not working at all. I can subtly feel Estellion’s power, the system’s power, too.”

“That’s what I mean! Nasar can’t put on clothes even if he wants to!”

“Hmm, I see. If that’s the problem, I’ll take a look. I don’t know if I can solve it, though.”

“Yes, please!”

“Then I’ll take him with me. I need to examine him closely.”

“…Um, just a moment. Aren’t you going to apologize?”

“What apology?”

“Well, you branded Nasar as a pervert. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, you should apologize.”

If he had only branded him, it would have been fortunate; in fact, if Philomell hadn’t stopped him, he would have almost killed someone.

“I don’t want to!”

However, Le Guin just snorted.

“Absolutely not! To be honest, I can’t forgive you for showing my daughter such a filthy sight for any reason! But I’m giving you a special pass this time just because of you.”

“Filthy…”

Nasar, who had barely freed himself from Le Guin’s restraints a moment ago, looked somewhat shocked.

“Filthy? It’s just wonderful.”

Fortunately, his face lit up at Philomell’s words, and he called her softly.

“I’m okay. I would have misunderstood if I were Father.”

“Still, Nasar doesn’t deserve to hear such words.”

“I’m really okay. More than that, right now…”

Philomell knew what he was trying to say.

“That’s right. There’s something more important to do.”

The special costume was a problem, but first, they had to get these people out of here.

If Jeremiah’s appearance in that dressing room were to be discovered…

‘That man would definitely do it!’

Philomell shuddered slightly at the ominous thought and said to the three men.

“Okay. Anyway, let’s go to Le Guin’s room and continue the discussion.”

Everyone followed her lead and started to leave the room. Or, they were about to.

“Wait, didn’t you hear something just now?”

It was only when Cardin put his hand to his ear and whispered that.

“…Hear something? What?”

“Phil, do you have any animals in the room?”

“N-no way? What are you talking about?”

“I heard a sneezing sound or something from over there.”

Philomell’s heart sank as his finger pointed in the direction of the dressing room.

“Aren’t you mistaken?”

“I don’t think so? My ears are *that* good!”

Lexion rarely agreed with his younger brother.

“Cardin may not be good at using his head, but his five senses are developed to an animalistic level.”

“That’s, yeah.”

“See, I told you!”

When even their father acknowledged it, Cardin puffed out his chest as if he were proud.

‘It doesn’t sound like a compliment…’

Whether Philomell thought so or not, her second older brother approached the dressing room.

“If an animal got in, we have to catch it quickly. It might even be a remnant of an evil god that infiltrated secretly.”

“Wait a minute!”

“What’s wrong, Phil?”

“Well, actually…”

It was an unwelcome moment to lie in order to protect Jeremiah’s dignity.

“My cat is resting inside. So, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t disturb it.”

“Cat?”

“Yes, I was actually going to tell you later, but I brought a stray cat into the room. I don’t know if I’ll raise it or find it another owner, but I’m going to keep it here for now.”

“What, is that what it was? I was wondering what it was.”

Fortunately, Cardin stepped back coolly.

“Okay! I’m getting hungry, let’s all go!”

“Wait a minute.”

However, unfortunately, an unexpected variable appeared.

“I concentrated after listening to this guy, and I feel something.”

Le Guin’s eyes narrowed.

“I can faintly feel Estellion’s presence in that dressing room.”

Oh, no. If Nasar, who had his clothes changed by the system’s power, felt Estellion, it was natural that Jeremiah would feel it too.

“Excuse me? Surely not. Aren’t you mistaken?”

“No. I definitely feel it.”

Despite Philomell’s efforts, his claim remained unchanged.

“And Phil. Aren’t you being too much? How can you have another cat when I’m here….”

“What does that have to do with anything!”

“Anyway, step aside. I can’t leave a suspicious cat that smells of Estellion alone. No, in the first place, is it really a cat?”

He strode towards the dressing room, and Philomell stood in front of the door, blocking him.

“Okay. I’ll just say this. It’s not a dangerous being like a remnant of Ieries [likely a reference to an evil deity or powerful being]. I guarantee it. So, can’t you just let it go? Please.”

Even the man called the White Devil hesitated in front of his daughter’s desperate plea.

“Haa, okay. I want to say that if you say so much… but, Lexion!”

In the gap where Le Guin pulled Philomell into his arms, Lexion quickly opened the door to the dressing room.

“Le Guin!”

“I want to grant your request, but I’m the head of the Magic Tower. For the safety of everyone, I can’t help but check the unidentified being.”

It was commendable to show responsibility as the Master of the Magic Tower, but why did it have to be now?

Anyway, regardless of Philomell’s will, the door opened, and Lexion and Cardin carefully examined the inside.

When the situation reached that point, Philomell and Nasar no longer had any justification to stop them.

‘Jeremiah, I’m sorry…’

Still, please refrain from fighting. That’s when Philomell was praying inwardly.

“Oh, over there! There’s something white?”

Cardin, who had good eyesight as well as hearing, shouted as he looked inside the dark closet.

Soon after, Lexion lit up the surroundings with magic.

It was over. It was only a matter of time before Jeremiah’s existence was revealed.

Philomell was about to close her eyes tightly. But-

‘Huh?’

Almost at the same time as she noticed some anomaly, a strange scream erupted from inside the dressing room.

“Yeah, look all you want! Here, look!”

Jeremiah, who chose to step forward proudly rather than being discovered, ran out of the dressing room.

“Laugh if you want!”

“…”

“…”

“…”

People fell silent in front of him, who had drawn his sword like a madman.

“Jeremiah.”

The first to speak was his father.

“You, what were you doing in Phil’s dressing room?”

“What was I doing? Of course, I was hiding because the old geezer and those two were coming…”

Suddenly, his words stopped. Jeremiah seemed to notice the change in his tone only then.

“Huh?”

He looked at his body with a bewildered expression. A body wearing ordinary clothes.

That’s right. He had returned to his original state.

‘That was close…’

Philomell let out a sigh of relief and looked at the window that only she could see.

Several names were listed on the window, and next to Jeremiah’s name, the word ‘casual wear’ was clearly written.

A moment ago, at the moment when the system’s power returned. Philomell changed Jeremiah’s clothes with a terrifying reaction speed that she would never have again in her life.