"Just try it and you'll see."
Amon uncorked the invisibility potion and spread a thin layer across his palm. Under everyone's watchful gaze, his hand slowly vanished, as though it had been severed cleanly at the wrist.
They stared.
"Kwa!"
Karoo stretched out a wing and poked at Amon's arm. When he found the invisible hand still solid beneath his feathers, he cried out in delight.
"Good duck."
Amon had been wanting to pet Karoo for a while now, and the moment the duck came close, he took full advantage. With his hand invisible, the result was wonderfully strange. The feathers on top of Karoo's head flattened and sprang back up again for no apparent reason, as if some unseen force were ruffling him playfully.
Everyone could tell what was happening, so no one was frightened, but the sight was bizarre all the same.
Once he'd had his fill of petting the duck, Amon withdrew his hand and washed it clean in the rainwater. His hand slowly faded back into view under the rain, as if it had simply grown back on the spot.
Karoo cried out again in surprise.
He had spirit, but this kind of thing was still beyond what he could make sense of.
His reaction set everyone off laughing.
...
With the potion demonstrated, Amon brought out the photo album.
This time, even he felt the awkwardness. Every time something like this dropped from a Jar, it put him in a difficult position. Before, it hadn't mattered much. The people around had either all been men or strangers.
Now there were two young girls standing right there.
And this had come from the Jar Vivi picked for her father.
That made it worse. In the end, Amon could only speak in the vaguest terms.
"As for this album... the contents are the sort of thing that explain themselves once you see them. I'm sure you'll find it hard to put down."
He handed it to Cobra.
Whatever else might be said about the man, Cobra was definitely the type who would appreciate this kind of thing.
"So mysterious? What could be inside...?"
Cobra took the album and opened the first page out of simple curiosity.
At first, nothing seemed remarkable. A collection of pretty illustrations. Plenty of girls, certainly, but nothing extraordinary at a glance.
He kept turning pages.
Before long, he was completely absorbed.
His expression shifted. His face flushed. Every so often he let out a quiet laugh or a low sound of admiration, clearly having reached the more interesting sections.
Amon gave a pointed cough.
Someone had to remind him where he was. Too many people were watching, and if Cobra lost himself much further and did something embarrassing on the spot, the whole situation would become unrecoverable.
That brought him back. He snapped the album shut and straightened immediately, his face reddening with guilt, especially once he noticed the looks everyone was giving him.
"Mr. Amon, forgive me. The contents were simply too captivating. I lost myself without realizing."
Amon nodded with complete understanding.
"It happens. Fine album. Take it home and enjoy it slowly."
Men understood men.
That said, Amon himself didn't carry much attachment to that sort of thing. A little was one thing. Too much was asking for trouble. Better not to end up like Sengoku, old and flipping through magazines in retirement.
Cobra, on the other hand, was thrilled. He held the album in both hands and praised it with unconcealed enthusiasm.
"Excellent. Truly excellent. The art is magnificent. Bold, passionate, full of life. And most importantly, it feels vivid enough to pull you in completely. A masterpiece!"
Amon said nothing.
He could only conclude, once again, that Cobra was a man of deep and abiding culture.
At least the man liked it. For a moment Amon had genuinely worried the item might sour the mood entirely.
"Your Majesty, what exactly is in that book?"
Igaram's curiosity had been climbing steadily while he watched Cobra's reactions.
Cobra tucked the album away at once and put on a solemn expression.
"State secret."
Amon nearly laughed.
What a glorious piece of nonsense.
But the sentence worked perfectly. Once Cobra declared it a state secret, no one could press the matter without overstepping.
...
After Cobra's Jar was finished, Amon opened one for Pell as well.
Pell's luck was not kind.
His Jar held only one item, and that item was nothing more than an old leather jacket. A complete loss. Pell looked visibly pained after seeing the result.
With all three done, Amon's task was instantly complete. The exclusive Jar reward was his, and his business on this island was finished. Next, he could head for Rain Dinners and find Robin.
Cobra and the others invited him to the palace as a guest. But just as everyone was preparing to leave for the royal city, Karoo started calling out again.
"Master, this duck says he wants to open a Jar too." Lily translated
"Oh yeah, Sure."
Amon liked Karoo. The duck wasn't just cute and goofy-looking. He was loyal. Watching him carry Vivi all the way back to the city had only made him more likable.
"Mr. Amon, here's the hundred thousand berries."
Vivi doted on Karoo too, so she paid for her.
And while she had been picking earlier, Karoo had apparently already chosen the Jar he wanted.
So under everyone's astonished gaze, Amon prepared to open one more.