Chapter 348: Seclusion (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 348: Seclusion (3)
Everyone was bound to have their own plans, though there was no guarantee they would work out. Amelia was the same way.
"There was an organization I've always had an eye on. These people disguise themselves as a health care station and sell opium at a high price in the shadows... I was originally planning to rob them for the cash."
"And?"
"While I was tracking down their base, the Public Peace Agency barged in."
I had nothing to say. Should I have said this was very like her? Should I have been glad this was still much more wholesome than robbing a bank?
When I chuckled, Amelia snuck in an apology. "...This was my mistake, so I'll figure out a solution somehow."
What was this girl saying? "It's fine," I said firmly. "Why would you solve it on your own?"
If she hadn't extended the storage period of the vault in the first place, the item would have disappeared into thin air a long time ago. Amelia had about half the share of that hammer, too, since we had been in the middle of hunting as a team when it dropped. More importantly, it was ridiculous to hold her responsible when she was the one who found the money to purchase Vol-Herchan's essence for me.
"We'll solve the money issue together. Got it?"
"...Because we're comrades?"
Oh, she knows to say things like that?
"Yes, because we're comrades. If there's a problem, we look for a way to solve it together, not decide who's to blame."
"...Okay."
On that note, we discussed solutions after that. It was a difficult amount to raise in two months by normal means, but it wasn't impossible. The stocks I had bought two and a half years ago paid off.
"Borrow money from that elf, huh? Certainly, if she had enough money to purchase a mansion like this, that could be a possibility. But is that okay?"
"Huh? Is what okay?"
"That elf is also one of your comrades."
"Ahem..."
Jeez, hitting me where it hurts.
"Amelia, it looks like you don't know this because you've been alone for a long time, but comrades help each other when they're going through a hard time. Got it?"
"So... that's how you treat your comrades."
I never said I'm just going to take her help. I'll pay it back, with interest on top.
"Anyway, enough about that. Let's talk about something else."
"You decided the conversation wasn't going in your favor."
"...Hmm?"
"Am I wrong? That's how I remember it usually was whenever you changed the subject."
It was such a sound argument that I had nothing to refute it. But was her personality always like this? Why did I get the nagging feeling she was making fun of me?
"Whatever, just say what you were going to say, Yandel."
Seeing as she wasn't giving me the chance to argue, I suspected she was intentionally teasing me. But since I only had an assumption backing me up, I just let it slide for now. There were more important issues to address, after all.
"Ah, it's nothing special, I wanted to talk about how to introduce you to Erwen."
I refuse to let a team kill happen on my watch.
***
Tap-tap, tap-tap, tap-tap.
As I tapped a steady beat on the table, Amelia clicked her tongue. "That's very annoying. Why don't you calm down? Is that elf so scary?"
"W-Who said I'm scared? Erwen listens to me."
I was just a little nervous. I told Erwen I was going to take in Amelia as a comrade, but a person's impulses couldn't always be controlled. I didn't want to see Amelia explode again, especially if it was her main body this time and not a doppelganger.
Tick, tick.
Time passed and right when I was starting to feel hungry, I heard the main gate in the yard closing.
Clunk.
Erwen was home. Her hands were probably full of food to feed me for dinner tonight.
Step, step.
The sound of an elf's characteristic light footsteps crossed the yard and quickly approached.
Tap.
She stopped in front of the front door. It was kind of a strange thing. There was definitely a rattling sound and the doorknob turned, but why was the door not opening? And why did her excited humming stop?
The moment the question popped into my mind, Erwen murmured, "Open door... A woman's scent."
At those words, I immediately stood up. I had a feeling that if I launched into the surprise event I had prepared like this, it would end up being a disaster.
"E-Erwen! You're home!" When I quickly went to meet her at the door, Erwen ignored my greeting and glanced around the interior.
Then her eyes honed in on Amelia inside. "Amelia Rainwales."
"Long time no see, Blood Spirit. Is this our first meeting in the city?"
"...How are you here?"
"I followed you from the bank. You've gotten better at stealth magic but it looks like you don't use it often in real life. You'd better be more on guard in the future since you don't live here alone."
"...Should I kill her?" Erwen mumbled to herself.
"Um, Erwen?"
"Ah, sorry. I forgot to say it in my head."
"Uh... r-really? Yeah, that happens. First... let's sit. We're going to work together from now on, so we can't be so awkward around each other."
"Okay." Surprisingly, Erwen quickly calmed down and sat at the table as requested. In a casual tone, she said, "So I just have to get along with this woman from now on?"
"Call her by her name, not 'this woman.'"
"Then I'll use her last name. It's Rainwales, right?"
"That's right. I'll call you Tersia too."
"Okay." When Erwen gave a one-word answer, the conversation ended there.
It was my turn to step up. "Erwen, as I said last time, Amelia will be working with us from now on."
"What about the identity issue?"
"You don't need to worry about that part. I've prepared one that will work while waiting for Yandel to return," answered Amelia.
"...Why didn't you tell me he was alive sooner?"
"What a ridiculous question. How could I trust you with that?"
***
Tap-tap, tap-tap, tap-tap.
As I tapped a steady beat on the table, Amelia clicked her tongue. "That's very annoying. Why don't you calm down? Is that elf so scary?"
"W-Who said I'm scared? Erwen listens to me."
I was just a little nervous. I told Erwen I was going to take in Amelia as a comrade, but a person's impulses couldn't always be controlled. I didn't want to see Amelia explode again, especially if it was her main body this time and not a doppelganger.
Tick, tick.
Time passed and right when I was starting to feel hungry, I heard the main gate in the yard closing.
Clunk.
Erwen was home. Her hands were probably full of food to feed me for dinner tonight.
Step, step.
The sound of an elf's characteristic light footsteps crossed the yard and quickly approached.
Tap.
She stopped in front of the front door. It was kind of a strange thing. There was definitely a rattling sound and the doorknob turned, but why was the door not opening? And why did her excited humming stop?
The moment the question popped into my mind, Erwen murmured, "Open door... A woman's scent."
At those words, I immediately stood up. I had a feeling that if I launched into the surprise event I had prepared like this, it would end up being a disaster.
"E-Erwen! You're home!" When I quickly went to meet her at the door, Erwen ignored my greeting and glanced around the interior.
Then her eyes honed in on Amelia inside. "Amelia Rainwales."
"Long time no see, Blood Spirit. Is this our first meeting in the city?"
"...How are you here?"
"I followed you from the bank. You've gotten better at stealth magic but it looks like you don't use it often in real life. You'd better be more on guard in the future since you don't live here alone."
"...Should I kill her?" Erwen mumbled to herself.
"Um, Erwen?"
"Ah, sorry. I forgot to say it in my head."
"Uh... r-really? Yeah, that happens. First... let's sit. We're going to work together from now on, so we can't be so awkward around each other."
"Okay." Surprisingly, Erwen quickly calmed down and sat at the table as requested. In a casual tone, she said, "So I just have to get along with this woman from now on?"
"Call her by her name, not 'this woman.'"
"Then I'll use her last name. It's Rainwales, right?"
"That's right. I'll call you Tersia too."
"Okay." When Erwen gave a one-word answer, the conversation ended there.
It was my turn to step up. "Erwen, as I said last time, Amelia will be working with us from now on."
"What about the identity issue?"
"You don't need to worry about that part. I've prepared one that will work while waiting for Yandel to return," answered Amelia.
"...Why didn't you tell me he was alive sooner?"
"What a ridiculous question. How could I trust you with that?"
"What? You've only been with him for half a year at most."
"Hmm, from what I understand, your time with Yandel in the labyrinth was less than half a year?"
Why are you guys talking without me again?
"Now, everyone, calm down." I quickly intervened in the conversation. "I don't know what exactly happened between you two in that time, but since it was all a misunderstanding, why don't we clear the air right here and now?" I shot Amelia a look that told her to stop being touchy and start yielding to Erwen.
"I don't know, I have no grudges. Of course, thanks to her, I once got my legs blown off on the sixth floor and had to cling to a board for three days because I couldn't swim. But I survived in the end."
...So, you had a reason to be touchy.
"...I wondered how you escaped from the boat in that state."
"Erwen."
"Don't worry. I don't particularly hold any grudges, either. It's just that the body of an adventurer from Noark that I finally defeated after all kinds of trouble got snatched from right under my nose. Ah, should I mention how my arm got sliced when I followed her?"
"But I didn't kill you."
"You're saying that like you could have. You were the one who ran away as soon as support showed up for me."
"Well... I did achieve my mission. I was in a tight financial situation but thanks to selling that man's equipment, I was able to buy this dagger here."
Okay, let's give up on being on good terms. No one said that a team has to get along, right?
I forced a smile and ended the conversation. "Haha, you fight over really trivial things! Now, shake hands quickly and make up."
In whatever case, it was always the person who smiled who was top-notch. After Erwen and Amelia shook hands with sour looks on their faces, I moved on to the next item of business—straightforward, like the barbarian I was.
"Erwen, can you lend me some money?"
"Money for what...?" I told her about the Demon Grinder, no holds barred, and Erwen's expression hardened. "So, you want me to pay for the essence this woman bought with my own money?"
"I guess you could look at it that way?"
"...Sorry, but that's going to be difficult."
"Huh?"
"Don't get me wrong. It's not because I don't want to."
Then what is it?
When I gave her a questioning look, Erwen quietly admitted, like a sinner at a confessional, "I... don't have much money now... Really."
Ah, makes sense... Come to think of it, she mentioned she barely managed to buy this house with the money she extorted by threatening the chief of her tribe.
Still, I asked just in case, "Then what about using this house as collateral to borrow money?" I felt like trash for even suggesting it, but what could I do? I had to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
"...Th-this house? Th-this house is full of memories..."
"We just have to pay it back on time, right?"
"Yandel, you really—"
Erwen interrupted. "Don't say anything to him. This is all your fault in the first place. How shameless."
"What?"
"Got it? So you don't have to be sorry, Mister. A house... can be b-bought again later..."
But your hands are shaking...
"...I'm sorry."
"I told you not to say that. This is for you, after all, Mister."
Anyway, it was decided that the Demon Grinder would be recovered using a reverse collateral-blocking technique. It was time to devise the next part of our plan.
"Whatever we do from now on, we'll need to secure funds first."
"Yes. If you're going to enter the labyrinth again, you'll need new equipment too. If we have money... we'll be able to keep this house..."
"Wait, labyrinth? I'm sure lifting the false accusations comes first?" asked Amelia.
Oh, that...
"I'm going to put that off for a while because there's something suspicious about it." When I told her about the questions and concerns I had, Amelia nodded in understanding. It seemed she picked up on the strange vibe too. "Anyway, that's why I want you to find me a suitable identity."
"Finding an identity won't be difficult, but it'll be like trying to hide an elephant in a room. It may have been more than two years since your death, but there are still many people who remember you."
In other words, that meant there was a high probability my identity would be exposed even if I used an iron helmet. This wasn't like twenty years ago when I was a nobody. The second I used something like Giantization, people would think of Bjorn Yandel.
"Hmm, I still think I just have to be careful in the labyrinth..."
"Maybe for one or two months, but if it goes on much longer, there will definitely be those who recognize—"
"Wait, why don't you take an essence?" Erwen interrupted.
"An essence?"
"Like the one Miss Ainar took. There are essences that reduce your height. If you shorten your height a bit and introduce yourself as a human, I don't think anyone will notice." Erwen studied Amelia's reaction the second the words left her mouth. It seemed she was on guard against any criticism Amelia might send her way.
Contrary to her expectations, though, Amelia acknowledged Erwen's idea and even magnanimously praised it. "Certainly, if this is going to go on longer than one or two months, that would be a much safer way to hide your identity in the long term. You came up with a pretty good solution."
It seemed the praise felt a bit strange to Erwen. "...That's because it's related to Mister," she responded coldly, turning her head. It was a sight that would warm any spectator's heart, but I had no choice but to interrupt.
"Um... Sorry to say this all of a sudden but, I don't have space to take an essence." I still had a long way to go to get to level seven, and I didn't have an essence I could erase.
As soon as I explained my situation, Amelia chuckled. "Manticore. I'm sure you've mentioned before that that's an essence you'll have to erase someday."
...You're going to take my jump button?
"What? You've only been with him for half a year at most."
"Hmm, from what I understand, your time with Yandel in the labyrinth was less than half a year?"
Why are you guys talking without me again?
"Now, everyone, calm down." I quickly intervened in the conversation. "I don't know what exactly happened between you two in that time, but since it was all a misunderstanding, why don't we clear the air right here and now?" I shot Amelia a look that told her to stop being touchy and start yielding to Erwen.
"I don't know, I have no grudges. Of course, thanks to her, I once got my legs blown off on the sixth floor and had to cling to a board for three days because I couldn't swim. But I survived in the end."
...So, you had a reason to be touchy.
"...I wondered how you escaped from the boat in that state."
"Erwen."
"Don't worry. I don't particularly hold any grudges, either. It's just that the body of an adventurer from Noark that I finally defeated after all kinds of trouble got snatched from right under my nose. Ah, should I mention how my arm got sliced when I followed her?"
"But I didn't kill you."
"You're saying that like you could have. You were the one who ran away as soon as support showed up for me."
"Well... I did achieve my mission. I was in a tight financial situation but thanks to selling that man's equipment, I was able to buy this dagger here."
Okay, let's give up on being on good terms. No one said that a team has to get along, right?
I forced a smile and ended the conversation. "Haha, you fight over really trivial things! Now, shake hands quickly and make up."
In whatever case, it was always the person who smiled who was top-notch. After Erwen and Amelia shook hands with sour looks on their faces, I moved on to the next item of business—straightforward, like the barbarian I was.
"Erwen, can you lend me some money?"
"Money for what...?" I told her about the Demon Grinder, no holds barred, and Erwen's expression hardened. "So, you want me to pay for the essence this woman bought with my own money?"
"I guess you could look at it that way?"
"...Sorry, but that's going to be difficult."
"Huh?"
"Don't get me wrong. It's not because I don't want to."
Then what is it?
When I gave her a questioning look, Erwen quietly admitted, like a sinner at a confessional, "I... don't have much money now... Really."
Ah, makes sense... Come to think of it, she mentioned she barely managed to buy this house with the money she extorted by threatening the chief of her tribe.
Still, I asked just in case, "Then what about using this house as collateral to borrow money?" I felt like trash for even suggesting it, but what could I do? I had to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
"...Th-this house? Th-this house is full of memories..."
"We just have to pay it back on time, right?"
"Yandel, you really—"
Erwen interrupted. "Don't say anything to him. This is all your fault in the first place. How shameless."
"What?"
"Got it? So you don't have to be sorry, Mister. A house... can be b-bought again later..."
But your hands are shaking...
"...I'm sorry."
"I told you not to say that. This is for you, after all, Mister."
Anyway, it was decided that the Demon Grinder would be recovered using a reverse collateral-blocking technique. It was time to devise the next part of our plan.
"Whatever we do from now on, we'll need to secure funds first."
"Yes. If you're going to enter the labyrinth again, you'll need new equipment too. If we have money... we'll be able to keep this house..."
"Wait, labyrinth? I'm sure lifting the false accusations comes first?" asked Amelia.
Oh, that...
"I'm going to put that off for a while because there's something suspicious about it." When I told her about the questions and concerns I had, Amelia nodded in understanding. It seemed she picked up on the strange vibe too. "Anyway, that's why I want you to find me a suitable identity."
"Finding an identity won't be difficult, but it'll be like trying to hide an elephant in a room. It may have been more than two years since your death, but there are still many people who remember you."
In other words, that meant there was a high probability my identity would be exposed even if I used an iron helmet. This wasn't like twenty years ago when I was a nobody. The second I used something like Giantization, people would think of Bjorn Yandel.
"Hmm, I still think I just have to be careful in the labyrinth..."
"Maybe for one or two months, but if it goes on much longer, there will definitely be those who recognize—"
"Wait, why don't you take an essence?" Erwen interrupted.
"An essence?"
"Like the one Miss Ainar took. There are essences that reduce your height. If you shorten your height a bit and introduce yourself as a human, I don't think anyone will notice." Erwen studied Amelia's reaction the second the words left her mouth. It seemed she was on guard against any criticism Amelia might send her way.
Contrary to her expectations, though, Amelia acknowledged Erwen's idea and even magnanimously praised it. "Certainly, if this is going to go on longer than one or two months, that would be a much safer way to hide your identity in the long term. You came up with a pretty good solution."
It seemed the praise felt a bit strange to Erwen. "...That's because it's related to Mister," she responded coldly, turning her head. It was a sight that would warm any spectator's heart, but I had no choice but to interrupt.
"Um... Sorry to say this all of a sudden but, I don't have space to take an essence." I still had a long way to go to get to level seven, and I didn't have an essence I could erase.
As soon as I explained my situation, Amelia chuckled. "Manticore. I'm sure you've mentioned before that that's an essence you'll have to erase someday."
...You're going to take my jump button?