Failed Failed Failed -3
Failed Failed Failed -3
I rested my golf club on my knees and stared at them.
"I have a question."
"Go ahead."
"This mission failed, didn't it?"
"It failed."
"Why did it fail?"
Quixote thought for a moment, then opened his mouth calmly.
"We were unlucky."
"Luck?"
"There were more Orcs than expected. Anyone would have struggled."
So that's why they failed the job.
I couldn't help it and let out a snicker.
"Because of bad luck."
A dry laugh escaped me.
"That's a good excuse."
Quixote narrowed his brows.
"What do you mean?"
"There are many unlucky people in this world."
I slowly rested the golf club on my shoulder.
"A merchant whose business failed says, 'The economy was bad.'"
"...."
"A farmer who ruined his harvest says, 'The weather was bad.'"
I paused for a moment and looked him straight in the eye.
"But here's the thing."
"...."
"Failure is still failure, isn't it?"
The room went quiet.
"Whatever the reason, the result doesn't change. You failed the mission and blew my investment."
"...."
"And if you borrowed money, you have to pay it back, right?"
Quixote opened his mouth.
"Next time, we will definitely-"
"No."
I cut him off.
"I don't deal in 'next times'."
"...."
"I'm a money lender, not a hope merchant."
"...."
"Do you have the money to pay me back right now? Or not?"
No one could answer.
I slowly looked around at the party members.
There are so many people here, yet no one opens their mouth.
"As I thought, you don't. Then there's only one way."
Choose.
At my words, they all started looking at each other.
Some avoided my gaze, some gritted their teeth.
It seems they realized there was no other way but for someone to sacrifice themselves.
"I will."
The first one to speak was Edel.
She stepped forward with a pale face and quietly bowed her head.
"I will stay."
"Edel!"
Quixote jumped up from his seat.
"What are you saying! You're a cleric! If you leave, the party-"
"That's exactly why I'm staying."
Edel looked at Quixote and continued.
"I know. I'm the one with the lowest combat power in this party."
"But we need your healing-"
"Recovery can be done with potions."
Edel forced a smile.
"There are also ways to use herbs. I can write down how to do that for you as much as you need."
"Edel!"
"So, please continue to conquer the dungeon. There's no need to stop because of me."
Quixote clenched his fist tightly.
"No. Abandoning a friend to move forward is not the way of a knight."
"The way, huh."
I chuckled and stood up.
"Don't worry. Collateral is a valuable asset."
I glanced at Edel and continued.
"Who would intentionally ruin their own property?"
"...."
"On the contrary, it's normal to feed it well, let it sleep well, and manage it so it earns its keep."
I shrugged my shoulders.
"So there's no need to be so tragic. I don't like losing business either."
Edel gritted her teeth at my words.
"Are you really, really sure I'll be safe?"
"Of course. Collateral must be treated with care to be worth its value."
The demon half-breed scoffed at my words.
"You expect us to believe that?"
"Believe it or not, that's your choice."
"Hearing the word 'trust' come out of a loan shark's mouth is the scariest part."
"That might be true."
I chuckled and looked at Edel.
"Come to think of it, you and Quixote were childhood friends, right?"
"Y-yes, so what?"
"Then, by all means."
I paused for a moment and curled the corners of my mouth softly.
"I hope you succeed in getting your precious friend back."
The air in the room turned cold at my words.
Quixote gritted his teeth, and Edel bowed her head, not knowing what to say.
I looked back and forth between the two, then turned my gaze toward the door.
"Well then."
"Eek!?"
"I will take good care of the collateral."
I said, pulling Edel into my arms.
"Chief, are you outside?"
"Yes, Master."
"Bring the money bag."
"Understood."
Listening to the sound of footsteps echoing outside the room, I leaned back in my chair.
"Contracts are contracts. Money is money. I am a man who keeps his promises."
A moment later, the door opened and Chief entered the room.
He was holding a heavy leather bag in his hand.
Chief walked up to me without a word and threw the bag onto the floor.
Thud!
The sound of metal rang through the room with the impact.
Perhaps the knot couldn't withstand the shock and had loosened, as the mouth of the bag opened.
Clink.
Clink, clink.
Golden coins flowed out one by one and rolled across the carpet.
An amount that would be hard to get even if you risked your life to conquer a dungeon.
That money was now rolling on the floor as if it were nothing.
I picked up one of the rolling gold coins and held it out for them to see.
"Here, this is your next opportunity."
Quixote stared blankly at the gold coins rolling on the floor.
His tightly clenched fist trembled slightly.
"This is...."
His voice leaked out low.
"This isn't a mistake."
It was a mutter, not knowing who it was directed at.
"Yeah. I just need to break through the dungeon again somehow."
It seemed like a mutter and comfort to himself.
"I just need to come back for Edel. I just need to get a little stronger. Just a little more."
Edel bit her lip when she heard that, but in the end, she couldn't say anything.
I watched Quixote quietly and laughed to myself.
Yeah, that's what you have to think to survive.
Humans who can't handle guilt always make excuses.
It's just for a while.
I'll come back for her soon.
They deceive themselves to move forward.
But reality is always cruel.
Collateral is collateral from the moment it's deposited.
It's not something you can just get back whenever you want, even if you might be able to reclaim it someday.
"Well, that's all for now."
I slowly stood up from my chair.
"Take the money and prepare for the mission again."
Quixote picked up the leather bag containing the gold coins.
In the heavy silence, the party members turned around one by one.
I walked over to Edel's side.
"Ah...!"
I could see her flinch.
I lightly stroked her shoulder.
Edel's body trembled slightly.
She looked at me with surprised eyes, but she couldn't do anything.
Because she was the one who chose to become collateral herself.
I took my hand off Edel and said.
"Chief."
"Yes, Master."
"Show Ms. Edel around the mansion. From the room she'll be using to the dining room, bathroom, and storage. Since this is where she'll be living, show her everything."
Chief bowed his head.
"Shall I also prepare the night's entertainment?"
"Hmm. Let's save that for later."
Edel bit her lip.
It seemed her gaze was fixed on Quixote until the very end.
But Quixote left without looking back even once.
Watching his back, I made sure to let them know.
"I hope you earn a lot of money by the time we meet again."
"Ugh!"
"Goodbye then."
As the door closed and the people disappeared, silence returned.
I leaned back on the sofa and took out a cigar.
Sizzle.
As the ember burned the end, the smoke scattered slowly.
"Whew."
Exhaling a long puff of smoke, I organized what just happened in my head.
Success.
The first target, Edel Weiss.
Not taken by force, not dragged by threats.
Well, maybe half-threatened?
Who cares. It's true they borrowed money.
"Ha."
I got Edel under the name of collateral.
"The first button is fastened well."
Two were left.
The demon half-breed and the mage.
Lilith and Sella.
Different personalities and values.
I have no intention of forcing them.
If I offer what they need, they'll choose it themselves eventually.
I took another puff of the cigar.
The hazy smoke obscured my vision.
"And."
A small laugh escaped.
"Edel Weiss."
A kind personality.
A habit of thinking of others first.
A heart too soft to throw herself away just because of guilt.
A perfect personality to use by my side.
Maybe this is lucky for Edel.
I can help her talent bloom better than that incompetent dreamer Quixote.
"Slowly."
No need to rush.
Build trust, make her rely on me.
Slowly dye her in my colors.
In the end.
"I'll make her completely mine."
I crushed the cigar in the ashtray and stood up.
"Shall I get going?"
There's a lot to do.
Getting Edel adjusted to this mansion.
And making her accept this place as a home, not a prison.
As I walked down the hallway, I saw Edel looking around the mansion in the distance.
"Ah."
Edel, who discovered me, stopped walking.
Chief noticed and quietly stepped back one pace.
I stopped in front of Edel.
"My."
I watched her for a moment and then slowly reached out my hand.
Edel flinched for a moment, but soon carefully placed her hand on mine.
The trembling was transmitted directly.
I smiled while lightly wrapping my hand around hers.
"I look forward to working with you."
"Y-yes."
"As I said before, collateral is a valuable asset to me. So don't worry too much."
"...."
"I will treat you with care for as long as you are here."
"...Thank you."
"Chief."
"Yes, Master."
"Please continue the tour."
"Understood."
Wondering how to seduce her, I followed them.