Lunch finally came by and the latest batch of food I prepared finally got placed onto my stall. Moments after that, adventurers immediately started flocking into it, asking for prices and slightly overwhelming the poor Laself with their questions.

  I should probably pay her more than what we agreed earlier in case she needs therapy or something. Come to think of it, does that even exist here? I feel like it should, what with all the... Things going on around the world.

  Therapy would be super popular among the upper class.

  But then again maybe the therapist would get executed for being "too direct" and "honest" because nobles, if anything, don't want to be told what to do.

  Without Wardcruncha to help her haggle, Laself started to just sell the food in the servings I told her to use if she felt like the customers were taking advantage of her. The price for a single bowl is set so she shouldn't have any issues with getting scammed.

  The system is worth it even though the adventurers are complaining that they have to go back and forth if they want to eat more servings– which Laself limits. – I considered it a good thing since that's the same as them saying they like my food!

  Some of them are asking where Wardcruncha went but Laself answered vaguely. She barely reacted when people called the old man her father, which I thought was a bit funny. I'm glad she accepted Wardcruncha's presence easily.

  Speaking of Wardcruncha, the hours ticked by and there's still no sign of him. I wonder what's taking him so long? Did he actually know a place where he can buy scrolls for cheap? There's no way right? I've been to Ghorise several times during multiple playthroughs and I have never seen a place like that around town.

  Well, whatever it is he's doing, he needs to come back quickly because some assholes are starting to act annoying and worse, handsy with Laself. Karuiz only stood back, unable to do anything given that the adventurers are stronger than him and his friend.

  So much for a white knight. Can't believe he's just gonna stand around and watch Laself get pushed around like this. Piece of shit.

  Do I need to step in? Seriously?

  Sighing, I decided to see if Laself can handle it for now. I moved directly behind the curtain and listened in, the conversation is not good and they're blaming Laself.

  "I'm telling you, the food you gave us is a lot less than what you gave others! Isn't this unfair treatment?!"

  It wasn't harassment, but it's clear they wanted free food. If Laself gives in, we'll only lose money and it encourages others to do the same thing. The commotion, while not bad, is definitely going to get customers off my stall and I don't want that so I made a plan to take care of them.

  Luckily for me, I always bring ropes. I started doing small bundles shortly after I got my class, just in case I needed to make a trap on the fly or something.

  My decision has been a good one because now it's paying off.

  I walked out to the main street and searched for an alleyway where I could build my trap, once I spotted the perfect place I quickly got to work. The end result looks like a simple tripwire that'll make the men fall face first into the ground but it's anything but.

  Ever since I reached level 10, my class obtained its own unique properties. I'm pretty sure all the [Trapper] classes have some variation of the four skills that I got but that's where the similarities end because what I can do with the skills [Brutal Trapper] provided me is a lot more unique than others.

  By my best estimates, the [Minor Transmutation] skill is the only thing left unchanged while everything else had some strange modifications done to them.

  [Material Alignment] commonly allows trappers to place traps in a way that will make them hard to see but with me, on top of the existing benefit, I also have an added bonus of everything I make becoming deadly, or at least crippling.

  There are barrels all over this alleyway so I used my skill by placing my traps in a way that'll make the target fall so hard against the containers that they break apart.

  I sniffed the air and the scent is expensive too, wine? No. Beer. Ale maybe? Not sure. Either way the adventurers are ready to ruin all of this! Wahahaha!

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  [Location Advancement]– my other skill. – allows me to change the environment, so to speak. It's not inherently magical and I have to move things manually but I can maximize the damage of my traps by relying on it when, for example, moving barrels.

  Those men will be in crippling debt by the time I'm finished with them.

  And lastly, I used [Minor Transmutation] to turn the contents of the barrel into an even more powerful narcotic. I'm hoping that it will make the guards think the adventurers are causing problems because they're heavily intoxicated.

  With my trap set, I went back to my stall.

  Guards had come around strangely enough, and where are Jasiin and Upinte? I searched for them but they weren't in the alleyway...

  Wait... Did they? No...

  Oh. Seriously?! I was going to take care of it!

  I curled my hand into fists and left my stall seething. Fuck it. I'm gonna make sure that these adventurers fight the guards instead of just simply getting mistaken for being drunk.

  I wasn't unfamiliar with alcohol, I mean I used to drink it but I wasn't a connoisseur. But more than that, I knew it wouldn't be enough so instead I targeted the yeast inside the barrel, transforming them into shrooms. Or giving them that type of effect.

  Well, I hope the adventurers like acid trips because they're about to experience it.

  After covering my face and my green hair with hastily spun clothing, I ran to the street where the adventurers are at, transmuted the ball of mud in my hands to make it spicy, and then threw it at the three men harassing my stall.

  They panicked for a moment, wiping their eyes and screaming in pain. Given how strong they are, it didn't take long for them to recover and they immediately started chasing me.

  But too bad! Aberrants are far faster than them and with [Urban Navigation] on my side, I moved through streets like a ghost. They didn't stand a chance.

  We reached my trap.

  One tripped first, the others shortly followed.

  I left the alleyway as the owner of the barrels came out. Whatever is going to happen next is not my fault but theirs. Fuck them for ruining my day! Assholes.

  Upinte and Jasiin looked like shit when I came back and I couldn't help it, I kicked them on the shin. "I was going to take care of it!" They looked guilty. I sighed. "I'll pay you more than we agreed, seriously, you didn't have to step in."

  Laself came into the alleyway a moment later and she hugged me. "Where were you?"

  "I took care of it." Did my voice sound confident? Am I reassuring enough? I hoped so. I may be a kid physically but I'm older than these guys mentally, I need to act like a proper adult and reassure them. "Anyway, did they do anything to you?"

  "No, they just threatened to break the stall, I hoped Karuiz would have stopped it but he didn't." Laself sounded disappointed and I'm supposed to be happy that she's starting to hate the guy but I'm pissed. That was his job! "Luckily your friends stepped in."

  "Right." My anger was barely held back but I managed. What am I paying Karuiz and his buddy for?! "I'll pay them as thanks for what they did."

  And I meant Upinte and Jasiin.

  "That would be good." Laself smiled and went back to selling food. I checked the street outside the stall and the customers were still here, none of them seemed to have gone away, thank god for that.

  Slowly, lunch came by and I didn't know what happened to the three adventurers but guards were rushing towards the alleyway I left them in. A lot of guards. Actually. What?

  And are those actual adventurers with them? Did something happen?

  I couldn't help but frown as I gave Upinte and his buddy some bread to eat. I also gave them the remaining goat milk.

  "What's going on?" I muttered.

  My feet carried me to the other end of the alleyway so that I could see what's happening. A lot of guards are currently fighting and the main street has a large space that's empty of people and carriages. Evacuation?

  What? Why are there so many guards? Shouldn't it just be three random adventurers? Even if they're drunk, it shouldn't take this much manpower to bring them down!

  Moments later, I learned why a small army gathered to fight the three men. Or what's left of them.

  A guard suddenly flung out of the alleyway and hit the wall back first, then a roar erupted from inside before a large arm gripped the corner wall and out came a humanoid creature covered from head to toe in black fur. Its eyes were bloodshot and its face looked warped, with three noses, mouths, and six eyes.

  ... How did that even get here?

  Wait, no, that's the three adventurers isn't it? That's what I concluded when I saw that it had an extra four arms attached to its torso. They melded together and became an aberrant? But how?

  It couldn't have been my transmutation because it's just in the basic level, it's not even strong enough to turn lead into gold, let alone merge three people together.

  How the hell did it turn out like this?

  Thankfully, the situation seems to have been handled by the adventurers so I went back inside the alleyway and told everyone what happened.

  "They suddenly turned into aberrants? No wonder all the adventurers suddenly left!" Laself asked, face pale. "What if it happened while they were still near the stall?!"

  Then we would all be dead– I didn't say that and just smiled at her in placation. Be an adult. Reassure them. Be brave.

  "We're lucky enough that it didn't. Thank the light." Laself looked like she's on the verge of tears.

  "... You're right, we are lucky." My words seemed to have calmed her down somewhat and Laself went back to manning the stall.

  Whatever made the three adventurers undergo the transformation, be it myself or what's inside those barrels, it doesn't change the fact that those three turned into an aberrant. And so suddenly as well.

  How?