Sierra's Ambition and the Price of a Dream

"Whew... It's hot enough to kill a man."

I muttered to myself as I walked down the sun-drenched street toward the mercenary guild. Undine, who would usually cling to me whenever I complained about the heat, wasn't by my side. I had left her behind in the jungle for a bit because she still had more to learn from Minerva, returning to the city alone.

Creak.

Clatter.

"Fuck, you want me to shove a goblin's dick up your ass? Say that again!"

"You tripped over your own feet, which are as limp as the dick you left at your mother's house, and now you're begging for more coin? Have you no shame?"

"Why, you son of a bitch!"

"I heard today is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the day they refresh the quests."

"Let's grab an easy one quick. I'm exhausted."

I wove through the rowdy crowd of the mercenary guild and headed straight for the reception desk. A few mercenaries glanced my way, but they quickly lost interest and went back to their own business. I tapped twice on the counter to get the attention of the receptionist, who was buried in paperwork.

Tap, tap.

"Welcome... Oh! Mr. Casanova?"

The guild receptionist—the very one who had personally handed me that godforsaken quest—gasped in surprise when she saw my face. Relief quickly washed over her features, and she clasped her hands together, looking up at me.

"We hadn't heard from you in so long, I was worried something terrible had happened to you!"

"Well, look at the quest you gave me. What did you expect?"

"I know, but the deadline was fast approaching... Wait, does your return mean...?"

"Yes."

Thud.

I tossed the Dalburumi flower, which I had carefully harvested right down to its roots, onto the table. Startled, the receptionist opened the sack and began inspecting the contents one by one, meticulously comparing them against the guidelines on her documents.

"This one is perfect, and this one too... Wow, it really is the Dalburumi flower!"

Finding the Dalburumi flower meant one of two things: either I had encountered the Beastkin, or I had stumbled upon a colony growing past a lightning-struck tree. The surrounding mercenaries began to whisper among themselves. Since lightning obviously hadn't struck recently, they undoubtedly assumed I had successfully tracked down the elusive Beastkin.

"Just process the completion. I won't be taking any more quests for a while."

"This quest had been abandoned for so long! The branch manager won't have a single complaint about this!"

"Phew..."

I leaned against the counter and took a breath. That's one pain in the ass taken care of. Now I just need to collect my pay and head back. As I was mapping out my next steps, the sweet clinking of coins echoed from across the desk.

"Here is your reward, along with the accumulated late fees! Congratulations!"

"Damn, someone actually pulled it off?"

"Fuck, should we ask him where he found them? Go bring him over."

"Are you insane? He's a Silver Rank. And besides, that's him—the guy rumored to have worked with that incredibly famous mercenary group."

"If you can't even remember the name, it must've been some no-name outfit."

Ignoring the pathetic muttering of the mercenaries behind me, I gave a brief nod to the receptionist who had handed me the coin, and turned to leave. But just as I reached the door, her voice called out to me again.

"Oh, right! Mr. Casanova! Someone was looking for you."

"Looking for me?"

I couldn't think of anyone who would be searching for me. As I racked my brain, the receptionist explained with a bright smile.

"The family of the owner of the identification card you turned in to the association wants to reward you. I'll send word to them, so please stop by the Merchant Association sometime this afternoon!"

"Is that so? Understood. Thank you for your help."

"You're very welcome!"

I pulled out the heavy coin purse and slipped it directly into my Expansion Pouch. I turned toward the merchant district, planning to sell off my herbs, the saber-toothed tiger fangs, insect carapaces, and other beast byproducts, when another voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Are you Mr. Casanova?"

Who is it this time? I glanced back to find a refined young lady standing with her hands on her hips, staring at me.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. You haven't visited Hormia in quite some time, so I have been waiting for you rather eagerly."

She was a beautiful young woman with glossy brown hair. Her neat bangs framed her face, while longer side locks fell gracefully to her chest. The rest of her hair was tied up high in a long ponytail that was so lengthy its tips brushed against her hips despite being bound.

She possessed intelligent green eyes framed by thick eyelashes, giving her a look that was both haughty and approachable. She had a cute, petite nose and small, delicate lips. Though she looked quite young, adulthood in this world was often deceptive, so I refrained from making hasty assumptions.

Dressed in luxurious silk garments, she walked over to me with confident strides, accompanied by a single guard who trailed closely behind. She stopped right in front of me and looked up.

"It is a pleasure. I heard you returned my father's personal effects. My name is Sierra."

"Ah, nice to meet you. I'm Casanova."

Squeeze.

I offered her a polite hand, and Sierra gripped it with surprising firmness. Of course, it was still just a woman's strength, so I didn't pay it much mind. Still, for her to track me down the moment I entered the city meant her information network was incredibly efficient.

"Thank you so much for recovering my father's belongings. As the head of the Rofila Merchant Group, I must express my deepest gratitude."

Rustle.

Sierra pinched the hem of her skirt and curtsied gracefully. I gave her a polite nod and waved off the praise.

"I couldn't even recover his remains. I only regret that I couldn't do more."

"Thanks to the information you provided, we were actually able to recover his remains as well. But there was one more thing I wanted to ask you."

I felt a sudden prickle of apprehension.

"By any chance, among my father's belongings... was there a pouch of some kind?"

I knew it. So that was what this was about. An item as expensive as an Expansion Pouch would naturally be sought after with desperate fervor. Given its massive capacity, it clearly had high-grade spatial magic woven into it. I just hadn't expected his daughter to come looking for it personally.

"Well... I was too busy trying to escape with my own life, so I'm not entirely sure."

"You don't recall? It's a pouch with a pattern of lightning crossing a trident embroidered on one side."

There was a pattern like that? For a split second, my hand twitched to check, but I barely managed to restrain myself. Reaching into my coat now would be as good as shouting, 'Yes, I have it right here!'

Sierra watched my subtle movements closely, then sighed and shook her head.

"Ah... Perhaps I was mistaken. My apologies."

"No need to apologize. I don't know what kind of item it is, but it must be very important to you."

"Yes. It is a pouch enchanted with expansion magic, an heirloom passed down through our family for generations..."

"Is that so..."

"Whew... I apologize. I only asked because I heard from the blacksmith at the three-way intersection that a sturdy, black-haired youth carrying a Silver Rank mercenary token had pulled a massive number of swords out of a single pouch to sell them. I naturally assumed it was you, Mr. Casanova."

Fuck, she already knew. My haste to get back and sleep with Undine had left a glaring trail. Seeing the playful, knowing smile on Sierra's face as she spoke, I realized it was far too late to play dumb.

"Shall we move to a more private location, my black-haired mercenary friend?"

"Lead the way."

I followed Sierra as she led the way with a bright smile. Her guard kept casting suspicious, sidelong glances at me. Irritated by his gaze and the fact that I had been played, I glared back at him with cold intensity. He tried to hold my gaze but eventually looked away, unable to match my pressure.

"We are here. Have you secured lodging yet? If not, I would be happy to arrange a room for you."

"I appreciate the hospitality."

"Excellent. Shall we head upstairs?"

Unlike the run-down, trashy taverns tucked away in the city's corners, this place featured a spacious dining hall and pristine interior decor. It was clearly a high-class establishment. Thinking I had hit the jackpot, I followed Sierra up the stairs.

Her tight silk dress clung to her swaying hips, tracing their curves perfectly. The fabric was thin enough that I could faintly make out the outline of her undergarments. Appreciating the view as I walked, we soon arrived in front of her room.

Creak.

"By the way, is your companion joining our conversation as well?"

"He is my personal guard, so I intended to have him present. Does it bother you?"

"Not particularly, but he keeps glaring at me. I was just wondering if he had a problem with me."

"Yohan?"

At Yohan's call, the man named Yohan, who had been standing at rigid attention, bowed his head and answered.

"Yes, my lady."

"I was merely keeping watch to ensure he does not commit any insolence toward you. One can never know what a lowly mercenary might attempt."

Oh... To say something like that upon our very first meeting. I hadn't expected to meet anyone other than Eruka who would speak to me with such blatant hostility. Admiring his sheer, foolish loyalty, I glanced over at Sierra. Sensing my gaze, Sierra opened her mouth to reprimand Yohan.

"Who taught you to speak to a guest in such a manner? Apologize at once."

"Ah, it's fine. I heard the exact same thing when I went on my last quest..."

"And what happened to the person who said that to you?"

At Yohan's sharp, sudden question, a crooked smirk played on my lips as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I gave him a very detailed answer.

"She became my little female slave. Now, I spend day and night pounding her tight cunt, and she's forgotten all about being a warrior, weeping tears of gratitude just to be my pussy slave. Even today, she clung to my cock and begged for more, which is why I was delayed in returning."

"You bastard...!"

Clang!

Taking my words as a direct insult, Yohan drew his sword from his waist in a flash and glared at me with murderous intent. I glanced at Sierra; her face was flushed bright red, and though she didn't actively stop him, she covered her face with both hands in sheer embarrassment.

Looking past Yohan, who stood by the entrance with his drawn blade pointed at me, I offered a casual apology to Sierra.

"My apologies. Was that a bit too vulgar for your ears?"

"It... it is fine... Yohan... put your sword away..."

"My lady..."

"Listen to her. If you draw your sword and end up dead, what's your lady going to do? Am I right?"

I offered Yohan some friendly advice with a smirk. Hearing my mockery, Yohan's face turned a violent shade of crimson, and with a furious roar, he lunged at me.

Accompanied by Sierra's panicked screams to stop, I drew my own sword and instantly deflected Yohan's strike. His blade, backed by considerable force, trembled as it slashed diagonally toward me, but it was easily overwhelmed by my raw strength, clattering away in a series of sharp metallic rings.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Seeing Yohan's eyes twitch as he tried to force power back into his wrist, I immediately swept my blade to the left. His wrist buckled under the sudden loss of leverage, and his twisted sword plunged straight into the wooden floor. Without missing a beat, I delivered a brutal, Spartan-style front kick to his wrist, forcing him to release his grip.

"Argh...!"

"Yohan!"

Shhhk.

I leveled the tip of my sword directly at Yohan's throat as he clutched his bruised wrist, his face contorted in pain. Terrified, Sierra threw herself between us, desperately trying to stop me.

"Please, stop...! I am so sorry. I will apologize on his behalf, so please sheath your sword!"

"My lady...!"

Despite being the one who initiated the attack, Yohan was looking up at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Sierra with a pathetic, sorrowful expression. Shrugging my shoulders, I sheathed my sword and spoke to Sierra.

"Of course, I might have gone a bit too far, but a guard with such a short fuse is only going to put you in greater danger, my lady."

"...Grrr...!"

Yohan ground his teeth in sheer humiliation, glaring up at me. Ignoring him, I continued to address the trembling Sierra.

"Tsk, tsk. Attacking a guest just because he couldn't control his temper... Does it make any sense for a guard to abandon his duty to protect his charge just to satisfy a personal grudge?"

"I am deeply sorry. I will have him leave the room immediately, so please calm your anger and let us speak."

Sierra bowed deeply to apologize, then turned a cold, unyielding gaze upon Yohan, who was still kneeling on the floor.

"Wait outside. And apologize to Mr. Casanova before you leave."

"...I apologize... I apologize for my insolence..."

"It is fine. We have business to discuss, so please excuse yourself."

"Ugh...!"

I watched Yohan's retreating back as he struggled to suppress his rage and left the room. Turning back to Sierra, who was standing there awkwardly, I gestured toward a chair and took a seat first.

Creak.

Sierra pulled out a chair and sat down, carefully reading my expression before she spoke.

"You are... very strong..."

"It's nothing special. A man has to be at least this capable if he wants to survive."

"I apologize once again. He isn't usually like that..."

Sierra's cheeks flushed a delicate pink. She stared down at the table, occasionally stealing glances at me. No doubt she was still flustered by the vulgar terms I had used earlier.

"I am destined to lead a great merchant group. Though I am still young, I am fully capable of distinguishing friend ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from foe."

"Ah... And which one am I, exactly?"

"An ally I must win over, of course... Which is why I have a proposal for you."

"I'm listening."

Thud.

Sierra placed both hands firmly on the table and leaned forward, her eyes burning with determination as she laid out her intentions.

"I absolutely need that pouch. I will give you gold, or anything else you desire, so please return it to me."

Hmm... I stroked my chin, studying Sierra's earnest gaze. I had assumed she was too young to handle business properly, but she was clever. Instead of demanding it back as her father's stolen heirloom, she politely requested to buy it back from me.

"Isn't it just a regular Expansion Pouch? I don't understand why you're so obsessed with it. You could easily buy another one with your wealth."

"...I cannot easily speak of it."

"Are you perhaps short on funds?"

"Short on funds?! Just last week, I traveled to Crafton, the pinnacle of magic engineering, and purchased a massive shipment of goods!"

Oh. Crafton, the city of engineering, famous for its array of convenient and diverse tools reminiscent of Earth's technology. I had heard of it but never visited, so the name piqued my curiosity.

If she had plenty of money and wanted for nothing, why was she so obsessed with this specific pouch? I stared at her, silently demanding an explanation. Reading my gaze, Sierra finally let out a defeated sigh, lowered her hands, and spoke.

"...To be honest, that pouch is no ordinary Expansion Pouch."

"Is that so?"

"Mr. Casanova, do you happen to know what tier of magic is enchanted upon that pouch?"

There were several tiers of expansion magic. Typically, they went up to Tier 5, and anything beyond that was classified as a true subspace bag, which contained an entirely separate dimension.

"Given its capacity, wouldn't it be Tier 3?"

Sierra shook her head, her brown hair swaying gently as she answered calmly.

"It is only Tier 1."

The very lowest tier? And yet it held that many swords? Seeing my confusion, Sierra sighed and explained honestly.

"In truth, that pouch is a rare treasure that my great-grandfather received from a very prominent figure. If a mere Tier 1 enchantment can hold that much, imagine how incredibly useful it would be if we were to apply higher-tier enchantments to it."

She was absolutely right. If the lowest, most basic Tier 1 enchantment yielded that much storage capacity, upgrading it to Tier 3 would easily allow it to hold more than an entire carriage. Only now did I understand why this young lady was trying so desperately to retrieve it. Sierra, realizing she couldn't get it back while keeping me in the dark, had decided to lay her cards on the table despite her frustration.

"I want to have the highest tier of magic applied to it so I can utilize it to its fullest potential. Please, I beg of you. I can grant you whatever you desire. Whether it is women, wealth, or status, I will do everything in my power to secure it for you."

Screeech!

Sierra suddenly pushed her chair back and stood up, leaning over the table as she pleaded urgently. As she rose with such sudden force, her breasts bounced beautifully beneath her dress. Are those at least D-cups? Staring at Sierra's unexpectedly voluptuous figure, my eyes slowly traced her curves, and I ran my tongue over my dry lips.