If You Touch My Precious Customer, You're Screwed

I pulled out my money pouch and tossed it to them. Watching it arc through the air made my heart ache. Memories flashed by like a montage—the hell I'd gone through scraping that gold together.

I had to repeat to myself 'This is an investment in the future' hundreds of times before I could steel my resolve.

"That should be enough. Don't trust me? Count it yourself."

"And that debt certificate for the little brat? Hand it over now."

The men caught the pouch, checked the contents, and sleazy grins spread across their faces. From their perspective, they'd recovered money they thought was lost, thanks to some unexpected sucker. No wonder they were thrilled.

"Yeah, yeah, here you go."

One of them fished a crumpled sheet from his sleeve pocket and held it out to me.

It checked out as the kid's. The moment I examined the document, my status window popped up.

So the kid's name was Syr.

I'd worried it might not count since I hadn't loaned the money directly, but thankfully the system recognized it as a "transaction." And it even gave me bonus abilities for the first deal.

Things were going according to plan. A faint smile tugged at my lips.

"What an idiot—why buy trash you can't collect?"

"Must be nuts. But hey, boss, thanks for the freebie, right?"

I ignored their snickering behind me and knelt down again to meet the kid's eyes.

"Listen up, kid. From now on, you pay that debt to me."

"Eek..!"

The kid flinched hard at eye contact. It hadn't been this bad before...?

"Relax. Meet the deadlines on time, and you'll be fine." (Calm down, just pay it back within a year.)

"Come on, customer, you think I'm like those guys? I value contracts and credit—don't worry." (Unlike those thugs, I'm a gentleman—relax.)

"Your life's short enough already. Want to drag out the debt? I know a fast way to pay it off. Interested?" (I can teach you a quick payback method as a service special. Sound good?)

"...Gurgle..."

The kid rolled back her eyes and passed out cold. My words had come out nothing like I'd intended. I rubbed my forehead.

...Looks like I got the wrong trait.

No refunds on this one?

*

For now, while waiting for the kid to wake up, I decided to check my new abilities.

Her reaction had been weird, and my words hadn't matched my thoughts. Probably because of these.

Forcing speech corrections? What kind of bullshit was this? I started to get pissed, then let it go.

In this harsh world, not having to agonize over every word might be convenient. Besides, it wasn't like the skill vanished if I complained, or turned me into some gender-swapped freak. Just speech patterns—who cares.

Rustle.

Then the kid stirred.

"Awake now?"

She flinched, shoulders jerking. Whoa, don't pass out again!

"You didn't forget what happened already, did you?"

"……"

"Pay the debt to me from now on. It's late—head home."

"And don't think about running. I've got a good nose; I can track you anywhere."

With that, I got ready to leave. But the kid just sat there blankly, not moving.

"What're you doing? Don't just sit there—go!"

"...Nowhere to go. Sleeping here tonight."

Makes sense—with that much debt, expecting a home was wishful thinking.

"Fine. Be here tomorrow, nice and obedient."

I turned and left. I'd already blown a fortune today; no spare energy to babysit, even for a customer.

This didn't count as "service," right?

*

In the end, nothing was really resolved. The debt remained, just with a new collector.

After my parents died and I couldn't pay rent, I'd been kicked out long ago. No real home left.

Tomorrow, that man would come hounding me instead of the old crew.

Same shit, different day. Maybe I should just bite my tongue and end it, like I'd thought earlier. But for some reason, I couldn't muster the resolve.

Instead, I felt an urge to pay him back fast. Was it fear of that terrifying guy who'd made me black out?

...Who knows.

No will to move, I just sat against the building on the street.

Staring blankly, a raindrop hit my nose. Then my cheek, my eyelid.

The drops turned into a downpour.

'Rain, huh...'

Across the street, people ducked into buildings to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠escape.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

But I didn't feel like avoiding it. Not because I like getting wet.

Just... maybe if I stayed, I'd dissolve into the rain and vanish quietly from this world.

As if that'd happen...

How much time passed? A shadow fell over the rain-soaked sleeping girl.

*

The moment I got home, the rain started pouring like it was waiting. Nighttime walkers on the streets fled into their buildings.

Normally, I'd crash early on a rainy night.

I even washed up and hit the bed tonight... but

'Something feels off.'

Couldn't sleep. Should've just brought her along if I knew it'd rain. Nah, I can barely handle myself—what was I thinking? She'd find shelter. I forced my eyes shut, failed, then grabbed clothes and headed out.

'Sigh... yeah, she's gotta be healthy to pay up properly.'

But back at the spot, no kid. Where'd she go?

Probably couldn't sleep in the rain, ducked somewhere like I figured. As I turned to leave, a red warning blinked in my vision.

No idea what, but something big was wrong.

*

"Boss, this cool?"

"What?"

"We sold the kid's debt doc already. Kidnapping and selling her off too?"

The boss snorted at his underling.

"Aigoo, how'd a naive punk like you survive this long? Mages buy little girls for big bucks, no questions. And she's got no ties—who passes that up?"

He kept grinning creepily.

"That mage is a warlock anyway—kid lives or dies, not our problem."

"We pocket this haul, hit another territory, bang some girls at the tavern. Done."

"Finish this right, and drinks are on me."

The underling laughed too.

"For real? We partying hard tonight?"

"You bet, punk."

"Let's sell her quick."

They hauled the girl into a dingy back-alley building, eerie vibes hanging thick.

Inside, a shady old man stirred something bubbling in a massive cauldron.

He was their buyer.

"Heh heh, got her?"

They handed her over. He magicked her onto a chair.

"Oho, prime goods."

"Yeah, pay up."

"Tch, in a rush? Here. Bring more like this next time."

He tossed them a pouch. Creeped out by his vibe, they grabbed the gold and bolted.

"Whew, money's hard-earned. C'mon, my treat like I said!"

"Boss is the best."

As they sauntered out the alley, a cold voice pierced them.

"Guess I gotta handle my money lines myself."

They turned to see a dark red club.

Thwack—!

No time to scream—the bat smashed their skulls without mercy. Brains and blood splattered the alley.

Gazing down indifferently, the man slung the club over his shoulder.

"No life insurance in this world anyway. If that kid croaks, who's paying my debt?"

With that, he followed the fluorescent "trail of light" into the building.