The Shameless Scammer (3)
"A full refund! I'll give you every last coin back!"
The scammer thrust both hands out as if to keep us at bay and shouted.
Jones flinched and stopped dead in his tracks.
"You mean it?"
"Yes! Return the magic stone and I'll refund you cleanly, no strings attached!"
"...You'd better keep that promise."
Jones quietly backed off. Getting the money back came before venting his anger.
"I keep the money at the house where I'm staying. I'll go fetch it right now."
"You weren't planning on going alone, were you? Of course we're coming with you!"
"A-ahem. Of course. Let's go together."
The scammer cleared his throat awkwardly, clearly caught out. In pure combat strength, he was probably the strongest of the five of us gathered here — but even the strongest fighter can't win against a pile-on. Knowing that, the scammer had gone as meek as a lamb.
"C-could I get the magic stone back first...?"
He asked, carefully reading the room, and the woman hesitantly held out the magic stone. Even as she returned it, she hesitated, clearly reluctant to let it go.
Wow. Even in this situation, he's trying to get the goods back?
This guy had guts that had clearly spilled right out of his belly. I was about to say something when—
"Hold on. Why do you want that back?"
Silvia beat me to it. The villainess young lady's irritable voice rang through the house.
"Pardon? I-it's a refund, so of course I should get the item back."
"Why would you want that piece of trash back? So you can scam someone else?"
"N-no! I would never do such a thing!"
"Seems like exactly the sort of thing you'd do."
Silvia stared the scammer down with a look of pure suspicion.
"Hand it over."
She held out one hand firmly, demanding the magic stone with absolute confidence. The scammer hesitantly placed it in her palm.
"M-may I ask what you intend to do with it?"
"Just lending a little help."
The moment she finished speaking, Silvia clenched her fist tight around the magic stone.
Crackle!
Red Lightning flashed from her clenched fist.
"M-magic! Young lady, you're a mage!"
Jones's mother cried out in shock. The half-doubtful look she'd been giving Silvia vanished without a trace, replaced by an expression of pure shock and awe.
Mages really are impressive beings.
Magic wasn't just about being born with mana — it was a discipline that required enormous sums of money to learn at an academy or a magic tower. Living out in the countryside, you could easily go your whole life without ever seeing a mage.
The scammer's face went pale the instant he saw the lightning. He seemed to finally realize just who he'd been running his mouth at.
"There. Done. Hold out your hand — I'll give it back."
Silvia dropped the magic stone onto the scammer's palm with a casual plop. The stone that had once glowed with a purple light no longer shone at all. The roughly carved rock now looked little better than a chip of stone with a faint purple tinge.
"Don't worry — the mana inside is still intact. I just tidied up the exterior a little."
Silvia's lips curled into a one-sided smirk. It was a cruel smile.
"I just helped you sell the magic stone for what it's actually worth. Aren't you grateful?"
"Th-thank you!"
The scammer bowed at the waist, clutching the now-ugly magic stone.
So this is the power of nobility.
Watching Silvia casually accept his thanks, the nickname "villainess" suited her perfectly.
"You've got your goods back, so hurry up and hand over the money!"
Jones shouted urgently.
"I-it's at the house. I'll find it and return it right away!"
We followed the scammer as he led the way and eventually arrived at Thomas's house. The scammer rummaged through his belongings, pulled out a small pouch of gold coins, and handed it to Jones.
"Here you are."
"The amount's right, yeah? Mother! Check this. Is it the right amount?"
Jones snatched the coin pouch and held it out to his mother. She took out the gold coins one by one, counted them, and nodded.
"It's exact, Jones. The same amount I gave him. We got it all back."
"Phew, thank goodness. Mother, from now on, don't go buying weird stuff without thinking."
"A-alright..."
The woman trailed off, embarrassed at having been taken in by the scammer.
"Master Rix."
Jones snapped to attention and looked at me.
"Thank you so much!"
Then he bowed deeply in gratitude.
"Thanks to you, we got our money back. You're as good as a lifesaver to us."
"It's fine. In a country village like this, helping each other out is just how things work, isn't it?"
Once Jones was done, his mother took my hands in hers.
"Thank you, Master. This is a small token of our gratitude."
She pressed five gold coins into my palm.
"You've more than earned it. Please take them."
Jones nodded in agreement. I returned the gold coins to his mother. Taking money from someone who'd just been scammed felt strangely uncomfortable. I hadn't done this for the money in the first place.
"You really don't need to give me this."
"M-Master! Please don't refuse — take it! It's a token of our thanks!"
"I'll take something other than money."
"Something else?"
"I'll come by for a meal sometime. Consider a home-cooked dinner my payment."
Jones's eyes went wide as he realized I genuinely didn't want the money.
"Th-thank you so much! You coming to this village is the greatest luck I've ever had!"
While this touching scene was unfolding, the scammer was reading the room, looking for an exit.
"...Well, if you're all done, I'll be on my way."
He tried to slip away as if nothing had happened.
"We're not done yet. Where are you rushing off to?"
I called him back. The scammer, who'd been heading for the door, hesitated and stopped.
"I already gave the refund. Isn't that the end of it?"
"Is that so? A refund and you're free and clear?"
"U-ugh."
He should've gotten the hint by now. The sharp-witted scammer groaned and reluctantly looked at Jones.
"I'm sorry."
Jones puffed up with triumph. It was the victor's turn now.
"Oh? And what exactly are you sorry for?"
"I sold a poor-quality item at an incorrect price."
"What? Can't you say it properly?"
"I-I inflated the price."
"Say it right. Properly."
"I'm sorry! I scammed you! I'm a bastard who deserves to be beaten to death!"
Only then did Jones break into a bright, satisfied smile.
"Pwahaha! Now that looks more like you! A scammer like you looks best when he's groveling."
After a good long laugh, Jones's face relaxed, looking thoroughly unburdened.
"At least you're quick on the uptake."
I said, looking at the scammer who was watching me carefully.
"Sir. C-can I go for real now?"
The scammer tried to leave again. He'd returned the money and apologized, so he figured it was all over.
But.
"We're still not done."
"W-what? What else is there?!"
Pat, pat.
I gave the scammer's shoulder a light pat.
"You scammed other people too. Did you really think you were just going to walk away?"
"Hup!"
"You're going to find every single person you scammed, return their money, and apologize."
Until every last sin was paid for. There would be no freedom for this scammer.
"Jones. Do you happen to have a wooden board or something?"
"I can probably find one. But why do you need a board all of a sudden?"
"I've got a use for it. Mind if I borrow one?"
"Of course! Take whatever you need!"
Jones came right back with a wooden board. It was about the size of a sheet of paper — perfect.
"Lady Robbins. Can you use magic to partially burn a wooden board?"
"Of course I can."
"I'd like you to write some text on it. If you would."
Silvia seemed to catch on to my plan, and her expression turned amused.
"Ahaha! I like it. I'll write it for you. Sir Rix has a surprisingly cruel side, doesn't he!"
I handed her the board and told her what to write. Red Lightning flashed, carefully burning the wood with precision. Before long, the board was finished.
"Here. Hold this."
"D-do I really have to hold this?"
"Do I look like I'm joking? Hold it quietly."
"...Understood."
The scammer took the wooden board.
I am a scammer.
Anyone who bought something from me, come get your money back.
"Now you're going to walk around the village until we find every last victim. Got it?"
"Eek! Sir, please spare me that much! I've already done wrong!"
"Apologies go to the victims, not me. Come on, let's go."
We set out through the village with the scammer in the lead. Silvia, Jones, and I decided to follow behind and keep watch. Jones's mother took her recovered gold coins and went home.
Thud, thud.
The scammer trudged through the village with lifeless steps.
"Master Rix? Is something going on?"
A man approached, drawn by the strange sight. A noble, an exiled bastard, a commoner, and a scammer. Four people in completely different attire — it was an attention-grabbing combination if there ever was one.
"As you can see, we've caught ourselves a scammer. Have you ever bought anything from this man?"
"Oh! I-I have! This bastard was a scammer?"
"Yes. You can get your money back."
The man looked at the scammer with an expression that said, You're done for. Then he cleared his throat and raised his voice.
"People of the village! We've caught a scammer here — anyone who bought something from him, come get your money back!!"
Whoa. That was one hell of a set of lungs.
At the man's shout, villagers began gathering one by one. In no time at all, enough people had gathered to completely surround the scammer.
"Hic."
The scammer hiccupped.
"This man sold rock chips for the price of gold! My mother got scammed and only just got her money back!!"
Jones shouted to the gathered villagers.
"What? That guy was a scammer?"
"You damn bastard! You shameless piece of trash!"
"Give me my money!"
The enraged villagers gradually tightened their circle.
"S-sir! Spare me just this once! At this rate, they might kill me!"
The scammer pleaded with me.
"Apologies and pleas go to the victims, not me. Everyone's gathered now — go ahead and beg for forgiveness to your heart's content."
With that, I casually stepped aside and made way for the angry villagers. They closed in on the scammer. The sight was not unlike watching a man surrounded by a horde of zombies.