The stunned silence in Galehaven Comics slowly faded as Fischl's dramatic exit sank in. Customers were still blinking, the memory of her blinding golden flare fresh in their minds.
"That light…" the Lady muttered, rubbing her eyes. "What exactly did she just get?"
Lisa, Barbara, Luke, and Daryl turned to Harlan, waiting for an answer.
Harlan leaned against the counter, speaking in a calm but confident voice. "She earned the True Evil King's Eye. It's tied to belief—if you buy into it fully, it dazzles others. No real attack power, but it's effective in the right hands."
The Lady's eyes narrowed. "Belief? But it looked like it could burn a hole in the wall."
"It's visual," Harlan replied. "Dramatic. Useful for effect. But if you're looking to flatten cities, pick something else."
Still, the Lady wasn't deterred. "A weapon that persuades or stuns on sight has its own kind of value."
Without another word, she marched over to the shelf, grabbed Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!, and sat down again with the focus of someone plotting a military campaign.
Luke and Daryl watched jealously. They wanted their turn, but Harlan's one-comic-a-day rule held firm.
Lisa sat back and chuckled to herself. She knew the truth—Fischl's reward was mostly flair. Harlan had played along with Fischl's over-the-top imagination, and the Lady had fallen for it. Still, it was entertaining to watch.
"Sister Lisa," Barbara asked in a hushed voice, "is the Evil King's Eye really that powerful?"
Lisa looked thoughtful for a moment. "You saw the light. And if even a Harbinger believes it, then who are we to doubt?"
Barbara gasped, then whispered, "Wait… she's a Harbinger?"
Lisa nodded slightly. "The Lady. Eighth of the Fatui. She's not here for coffee."
Barbara looked over at the Lady, stunned. "I thought she just had a really expensive coat!"
"She has that too," Lisa added.
Barbara straightened. "I have to tell Jean. This could be serious."
Lisa smirked. "Of course."
Harlan had been listening the whole time, pretending not to. Lisa had clearly pushed Barbara in the direction she wanted, and Barbara—too trusting—was taking every word seriously.
Before long, Barbara finished her read of One Piece: East Sea Saga, while Lisa wrapped up Digimon: First Frontier. The system buzzed in Harlan's mind.
[Customer Barbara completed One Piece: East Sea Saga — Reward: Freeze Fruit Ability.][Freeze Fruit Ability: Turns any part of the body into ice; creates frost fields; immune to blunt force, most energy attacks, and non-Haki blows; can shape weapons from ice. Enhanced: No sea curse, Seastone resistance.]
[Customer Lisa completed Digimon: First Frontier — Reward: Koshiro's Laptop.][Koshiro's Laptop: A compact archive of Digimon data, complete with cross-dimensional analysis and digital tracking tools.]
Harlan nodded to himself. Barbara had gained a combat-ready power—strong, versatile, and flashy. Lisa's reward was more cerebral, but perfect for someone who liked staying two steps ahead.
Barbara examined her hands. "So… I'm ice now?"
"You can be," Harlan confirmed. "You'll feel a cold rush first. Then the shaping gets easier over time."
Lisa opened her laptop, eyes gleaming. "This thing's packed. Digimon classifications, data on evolution trees, signal tracking… not bad."
Barbara formed a small ice spike in her hand and watched it shimmer. "Jean's going to flip."
Harlan leaned over the counter. "Don't poke your sister with it. Freeze damage is hard to explain at church."
Lisa laughed. "You assume it'll be accidental."
As the two women got up to leave, the Lady continued reading in silence, clearly racing toward Fischl's reward.
Luke and Daryl stayed quiet, counting down the minutes until tomorrow—when they'd get their turn to try for something just as wild.
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Reflection:
This chapter deepens character dynamics. The Lady is now fully invested in the shop's power system and actively chasing a high-impact reward. Lisa plays her usual manipulative game, steering Barbara for fun, which leads Barbara to gain a powerful freezing ability. Fischl's earlier stunt continues to echo through the group, increasing the perceived stakes. Lisa's reward adds information utility, while Barbara becomes combat-capable. Harlan, meanwhile, continues managing the chaos with quiet control, letting each customer reveal more of themselves as they dive deeper into the comics' powers.