Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: The Foxkin Knights Close In
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The office of the branch manager at the Imperial Bank's Celleron branch.
'This is driving me insane.'
Hayward, the man in charge here, felt his mouth go dry.
He was a commoner who had risen through the ranks to become branch manager—a self-made man, by all accounts.
But even for him, facing the people before him now was no small source of tension.
"So, you're certain that Lady Lena visited this branch?"
"Y-yes. That's correct. We confirmed it with the staff."
"And she personally submitted the certificate and withdrew the funds?"
"Y-yes."
That was why.
Hayward answered their questions as earnestly as he could, nodding vigorously all the while.
'They make such a fuss over a mere 3 million credits...'
Hayward was brimming with frustration right up to his throat, but he couldn't voice it.
Not only were the five or six men before him all knights, but the silver fox faces etched on their scabbards and the fox ears atop their heads made it clear they were of a far higher class than a commoner like him.
'Word was that the Silvermont lady had come to Celleron recently...'
The Silvermont Family.
The silver fox was none other than the symbol of that house, led by Duke Alexar Silvermont, the second most powerful figure in the Foxkin nation of Langley Kingdom.
The men before Hayward were direct knights of the Silvermont Family.
"But Lady Lena doesn't speak the Imperial Language. How was the withdrawal processed?"
"Ah, well..."
And the matter they were handling was none other than 'the lady's elopement.'
No matter that he worked for the Imperial Bank—even a single wrong answer could cost him his position, or worse, his job entirely.
"We don't have any staff fluent in the Foxkin Language. It's not a widely spoken tongue, and most Foxkin clients are VIPs who typically bring their own interpreters..."
"And yet?"
"It seems one of our clients happened to speak Foxkin Language fluently. We confirmed Lady Lena's intent to withdraw everything through him, verified the family pendant as proof, had her sign the withdrawal agreement, and processed it."
Hayward answered each question with utmost sincerity.
One of the knights questioning him, Risar, perked up his ears at the response.
"Someone who could speak our language? And a client, no less?"
"Y-yes. Word is, he was a boy in his early to mid-teens, but he spoke Foxkin Language remarkably fluently."
"Was he Foxkin himself, by chance?"
"Er... I heard he was a plain human."
Humans fluent in the Foxkin Language were rare.
Foxkin were a small, insular race confined to Langley Kingdom, an island nation to begin with.
Foxkin often learned the Imperial Language, but the reverse was uncommon.
'A human teen speaking our language?'
It was hard to believe.
But watching the branch manager sweat and stammer before him, Risar couldn't dismiss it as a lie outright.
"So, you handed over 3 million credits."
"Yes, that's right."
Having grasped the situation, Risar stood abruptly.
Lena Silvermont.
When the wild young lady of the Silvermont Family had run off with a 3-million-credit certificate,
Risar and the family knights had mobilized immediately to find her, confident all the while that it'd be a quick matter.
'It happened so often back in Langley.'
It had started around mid-last year.
After she reached the 3rd Circle Mage level—a feat few her age had achieved—she'd pull a runaway stunt at least once a month.
But everyone in Langley, especially in Silvermont territory, knew her.
Thanks to reports from locals who spotted her and their lack of cooperation, her escapades never went far.
'We figured it'd be similar here—or even harder.'
Most people here didn't know her.
Plus, without Imperial Language, she couldn't withdraw money, book lodging, or travel properly.
'...We hoped it'd just be another tantrum.'
Risar knew why she pulled these stunts.
He'd planned to indulge her if it stayed within that realm.
But this sudden variable changed everything.
Her having spending money meant this wasn't ending in a tantrum.
And if a boy fluent in Imperial Language was helping her...
"...Spread out and search every corner. We find Lady Lena by tonight, understood?"
"Yes, sir!"
Risar and the Silvermont knights sprang into action.
"Y-you! B-be my c-companion!"
"...What?"
He'd asked why she was tackling him on the street, and her answer was absurd.
It reminded him of that manga protagonist from his past life, the one dreaming of gathering a worldwide pirate crew.
The manga hero won lifelong comrades with that line, but reality was harsher.
"No thanks."
"Wh-what? Why!? How come!?"
Lena froze in shock at Jeon's immediate rejection, her face a picture of disbelief.
She clearly hadn't imagined refusal.
Ignoring her, Jeon brushed her aside from above and stood, dusting off his clothes.
"I don't even know who you are or what you're planning. You expect me to just sign on as your companion? Would you?"
"R-right! Oh yeah! I'm Lena Silvermont! I wanna travel the world! So come with me!"
Snapping out of it, Lena blurted her introduction and ambitions.
But still.
"No."
"Why not!?"
Lena yelped in fresh surprise at Jeon's firm refusal.
'What a reaction machine.'
For a scion of a VIP banking family, her over-the-top responses were amusing to poke at.
But that aside, Jeon had no desire to team up with her.
'Runaway spoiled brat, plain as day.'
Travel the world?
How childish.
And a noble girl wandering streets alone screamed family troubles or worse.
'Running away means suffering.'
To Jeon—who'd slaved until recently and scraped by in a backwater village—her dreams sounded like naive kid stuff.
"Why me? Ask someone else."
"No one else! Not many speak Foxkin Language!"
That explained targeting him.
She needed an interpreter since she lacked Imperial Language.
He'd considered translation gigs, sure.
"Nope. Pass."
No way was he babysitting a runaway kid.
As he turned to leave, emphasizing his refusal—
"M-money! I'll pay you!"
Desperate not to lose him, Lena grabbed his arm.
"...Money? You rich?"
"Of course! You saw me withdraw 3 million credits from the bank!"
3 million credits.
Not chump change, absolutely.
But peanuts for world travel.
Normally, he'd refuse and walk—but she was just a kid.
"Got more than that?"
"...Huh?"
"Or a way to earn more?"
"Th-that's..."
"World travel, right? 3 million won't cover you solo."
Jeon laid into her a bit more.
To make her face reality.
"And even if you pay, I'm not traveling the world. Got my own stuff."
"...Then just help me find an inn. Please."
"What?"
Her voice wilted like boiled spinach, pleading softly.
Jeon's sharp retort softened.
"...Don't book an inn. Go home. Even the best around here's worse than yours."
"No! I can't go home! So just the inn, please!"
"Sigh, that's not how it works..."
"No money needed? I'll give something else! I've got plenty besides cash!"
As it devolved into toddler tantrum territory, Jeon sighed unwittingly.
Meanwhile, Lena flung open the bag at her waist.
"How about these?"
Silver trinkets spilled out—jewelry to apparent magic tools.
Impressively packed for such a small bag.
'...No wonder the pendant had a silver fox. They own a silver mine or something.'
But that didn't sway Jeon.
As he opened his mouth to refuse again—
"Huh? That one...?"
"Yeah? Like something?"
One item caught his eye amid the pile.
'...Rune letters?'
A plain silver bracelet.
Just some script inscribed in the middle.
It looked like writing, but...
He couldn't parse it at a glance.
With his Korean Patch skill, he'd never failed to read anything at first sight—except ancient runes from ruins.
As he leaned in for a closer look—
Noticing his interest, Lena snatched everything up and stuffed it back in her bag.
She grinned triumphantly.
"Well? Companion now?"
"...Nah, pass."
Jeon refused again.
Curious about the bracelet? Sure.
But...
'Can't let her drag me in.'
Hiding it was sharp, but she didn't know his interest level.
She seemed more desperate.
"Why!? If you join, I'll give you that one you eyed!"
...And no way was he getting bossed by this preschooler-level girl, age unknown.
"Just curious. No interest in partnering up. Let's go our ways."
He turned to leave.
Lena clung to his arm again.
"Th-then just help with the inn! I'll give you that item! Please!"
Her bravado gone, Jeon sighed inwardly at her pleading.
'Why's a noble acting like this?'
Her moods flipped constantly—kid stuff, fine.
But why was a highborn girl so insistent?
It made him curious why she'd ditch her family for world travel.
'Fine, I was gonna find an inn anyway.'
The bracelet runes nagged him.
And she seemed a bit pitiful now.
"...Follow me. Was heading to book one myself."
"R-really!? Thanks! So much!"
Helping with an inn was harmless.
By the time he checked the runes, her family would probably find her.
Easy split then.
And that night.
"Lady Lena, so this is where you were."
Fox-eared knights burst before them.