Confronting the Sewer Rat
They couldn't answer my question right away. They hadn't grasped the situation properly. I pressed my foot harder on the back of the fallen one and repeated myself.
"I hear this girl's collateral too. How much?"
The guy under my foot groaned with a gurgling sound. One of them exchanged glances with the others and spoke up.
"Fifty gold coins...!"
Fifty coins... For holding a person as collateral, that was pocket change. I rummaged inside my cloak and pulled out a pouch of gold coins. It felt like a bit more than fifty by weight. I tossed it to them.
A thudding sound came as the receiver staggered back.
"We're square now, so quit bothering us and get lost."
I lifted my foot from the fallen man's back, and they slinked over to help their buddy up.
"Ugh... my back...!"
Grabbing him from both sides amid his groans, they scurried off down the street like they were fleeing.
"Della. Get up. We need to pack your things."
I helped the still-seated Della to her feet and led her into the inn. A few gawking employees parted to make way.
Once inside the hall, the innkeeper planted himself in front of us.
"Wh-where do you think you're going...!"
He trembled—whether from anger or fear, I couldn't tell.
"Della...! You gonna abandon the inn? Follow this rootless drifter?!"
Della hung her head, saying nothing. I crooked a finger sideways at him.
"Step aside."
The innkeeper met my gaze but couldn't hold it and backed off to the side. We went up to the attic on the third floor and gathered Della's belongings—which amounted to just a few changes of clothes and some books. We bundled them up and headed back down to the first floor.
"Della! You'll regret this for sure."
The innkeeper menaced his own daughter.
"That guy's gonna lure you out, rape you somewhere secluded, and sell you at the slave market. Don't regret it later—drop your stuff now!"
"Sorry, but wasn't that what you were planning?"
The innkeeper's face twisted in rage and humiliation.
"A father who borrows against his daughter and even tries to whore her out."
He clenched his fists like he might lunge at me any second. But he was much smaller than me and didn't dare. He'd seen me slam one of the Rat's goons into the ground earlier.
Della stared at her father for a moment. He glared back at her, huffing. There wasn't a shred of parental love or concern in his eyes—just fury at losing his free labor.
Seeing that, Della tugged my arm.
"Let's go, sir."
I lifted her onto the saddle in front, then mounted behind. Even then, the innkeeper watched us through the open door from inside the hall.
We hurried north toward Rosens. I'd planned to meet merchant Mollo from the trade guild to order supplies, but with the change of plans, we'd head straight up. Mollo stopped by Rosens every few days anyway, so I could order then.
Della, riding in front of me, twisted to look back. She'd escaped the inn as she'd longed to, but it probably didn't feel entirely freeing.
"Don't worry. You'll have a much better life than now, for sure."
"Yes..."
She answered softly. Maybe in the chaos, to avoid the whipping, she'd followed me without thinking it through. She didn't even know for sure if I really ran an inn. Perhaps she was regretting it now.
But even if she went back, her situation wouldn't improve. Today's events would only make it worse.
And... that inn had no hope of recovery. No matter what, they'd never escape the debt and would go under.
Still, fifty gold coins... From how studiously she'd been reading yesterday, Della was no ordinary waitress. Someday, I'd think snagging her for fifty coins was a steal.
Personnel is everything in business... People are the key.
We passed the guards and turned onto the direct north road to Rosens. A day's ride from here. As I was about to spur the horse, two mounted riders suddenly appeared ahead, blocking the path horizontally and raising hands to halt.
Their shabby clothes and belted swords marked them as no ordinary travelers. And appearing like they'd been waiting... I glanced back—sure enough, two more riders blocked the retreat, as I'd figured.
Of course... A bottom-feeder loan shark wouldn't let a debtor go easy...
These weren't the earlier thugs—different members of the gang.
"Sir...!"
Della, terrified, clutched my wrist gripping the reins.
One blocker rode up clumsily.
"Hey! Sorry to block the road, but the bill got messed up."
"What bill?"
"That bitch's price."
"Oh, the fifty gold? You gonna give change? I even threw in extra."
"Way short. No interest calculated."
Right. That was their game—slap on insane interest when repayment loomed, trapping you forever.
"Sir, what do we do...?"
"Don't worry. I expected this much. I'll handle it."
I soothed Della and asked them,
"So, what's the interest?"
"One hundred thirty gold."
"You crazy fucks. Principal's fifty, interest a hundred thirty?"
"Gotta eat too. Right, pretty miss?"
They leered at Della's face, chuckling sleazily.
"Fair enough. Vermin like you couldn't hold a real job."
Their faces twisted at my taunt.
"Here's the deal. Even if I pay you here, you'll skim and whine it's short. Take me to that Rat guy. I'll settle it direct."
"Hah! Ballsy guy. You ain't from around here, huh? Don't even know who the Rat is?"
"Don't care. Just lead."
"Got the cash?"
"If not, take me as collateral."
They barked rough laughs at my words.
"This guy's hilarious! Let's see if you're that cocky in front of the boss."
Two flanked front and back to prevent flight. One snatched my horse's reins and led us slowly back toward Bue.
Della said nothing in the sudden mess, just gripped my arm. Her hands shook.
"Don't worry. It'll be fine."
Of course, she couldn't believe me now. But it really would be. For her, at least.
They navigated Bue's winding roads into the slums. Turning from the bustling avenue into an alley flipped the vibe instantly. A narrow stream cut through, reeking of rot from the city's garbage and filth.
No wonder the Sewer Rat nickname. He really lived in the sewers?
"Hey, so what's your line? Loans or thuggery?"
One answered,
"You divide trades down here?"
"Guess that makes you top-tier trash."
"That mouth won't open soon."
"We'll see."
We stopped at a rundown house right by the stream. A few gang-looking guys loitered out front. Dismounting, one guard grunted,
"What?"
"'Horizon's Mist' girl's debt payoff."
"Who?"
"This guy."
They snickered at me.
"What a nutjob. Meet the boss direct? Who said you could?"
"Who're you to block a direct deal with your boss, you pricks?"
Their faces chilled. As I stepped to the door, they blocked me. Atmosphere thick enough to draw blades and gut me.
"Open the door."
They stood a mere arm's length, meeting my eyes. But it didn't last. They dropped their gazes, opened up, and stepped aside.
"Della. Stick by me."
"Sir..."
"It's fine."
Della plastered herself to my side, clutching my arm with both hands.
The house was dim. A few candles flickered weakly, illuminating only around their holders. In the shadows, fierce eyes glinted. Grim-faced men sat at tables or sofas, eyeing me. They said nothing, but any wrong move and blades would fly.
"Guy here for the boss. Don't touch."
The one who'd followed me warned, then led upstairs. Rat was up there, apparently. No one stopped me on the stairs—like I was a mouse in a trap.
At a door on the second floor, the lead guy waited.
"This way. Weapons?"
"None."
"Bare-handed? Real psycho."
Inside, a man lounged on a sofa. Middle-aged with graying hair, bulging brow like a horned devil—brutal vibe. That was the Rat.
I scanned quick: fireplace, desk with ledgers, decorative sword on wall, big safe in corner.
"Here to pay 'Horizon's Mist' girl's debt."
The Rat asked in a low, gravelly voice. He eyed me leisurely, condescendingly—backed by a dozen goons crowding in behind.
"Dunno what you do... but that ain't chump change."
"Heard principal fifty gold, interest one-thirty. Right?"
"When'd you hear that?"
"Entrance to north road to Rosens."
Rat closed eyes, fingers twitching like calculating.
"Hm. Now it's one-thirty-five."
"Ah, five more piled on coming here? Got it."
"Sharp with numbers."
"Am. I do business too."
Rat perked up, curious, leaning forward.
"Then we can talk. What business?"
"Don't need to know that. I'll pay—write a receipt."
"Cash ready? Sure."
I pulled an Abys gold coin from my cloak. Rat's eyes widened.
"Abys gold...? This guy's no ordinary merchant... Slave trading?"
Slave trading... Human trafficking?
I stayed silent; he grinned knowingly.
"Bumping into a fellow operator here."
Rat blabbered on welcomingly, unprompted: young kids pricey, kidnap women and sample before selling, etc.
"But those taste off."
He leered at Della lewdly.
"Wild-caught beats farmed. Process is fun too."
He figured I splurged for exotic tastes. Disgusting prick... Knew loan sharks were scum, but this one was extra vile. Though scum's scum.
"First time paying loans, so question."
"Shoot."
"If the creditor dies unexpectedly, what happens to the debt?"
Rat snickered like it was absurd.
"Ledgers exist—death doesn't erase debt. Someone inherits."
"If ledgers and inheritor vanish?"
"Different story, but odds of that..."
Rat's face hardened.
"Hm. Wipe everyone out, no one's left to collect—so debt vanishes? That it?"
Rat shot up, bellowing,
"Grab him!"
The Rat's goons chatting and smoking at the entrance jolted at the sudden crash from upstairs, heads snapping up.
A second-floor window shattered as a man flew out. Goons recoiled in horror at the fallen body—half his face caved in. He struggled to speak.
"Run...!"