Half Grudges, Double Favors
If I just kill two or three of them before dying, that still cuts their forces, right? Lena glanced back and forth between Pria and me as I tried to persuade her that way. Her face made it crystal clear what she was thinking: What's their deal that this guy's so eager to go off and die?
"You know how to shoot a gun?"
"Whether I shoot 'em or beat 'em to death, what's the difference?"
She eyed me suspiciously, ignoring my quip about "fake sorcery," and when I grinned confidently in response, her face grew even more dubious. Well, I get why she wouldn't buy it. Pria and I shared that special hellhole escape, so she could overlook the sketchy parts, but this sheriff? We weren't tight like that. And this wasn't just between us parties involved.
Of course, I didn't fully trust her words either. But sometimes you gotta extend a hand without knowing what the other side's holding. Basic rule: if I pull a blade, they pull one back. So offering a hand is the surest trade when it counts.
"With that outdated arm of yours?"
"Quit picking on my junker arm already."
That's when something tugged at my coat hem. I looked down to see Pria staring up at me from her chair.
"You can just walk there. I got some connections in the city."
"How far's the city from here on foot?" I gently pried her hand off and asked Lena.
"...By car, a few hours. Walking? A day or two. Maybe more."
"Maybe more" was probably factoring in Pria's condition. I shot her a look like you heard that? and placed her hand back on her lap.
"One condition, though. Half upfront as an advance."
Lena's eyes narrowed like what the hell?
"Since you're letting both of us into the city, send her in first as the advance."
"Wait—!"
I pressed down on Pria's shoulder as she tried to stand in protest, stopping her cold. She looked shocked at how easily I'd pinned her, glaring at me with a mix of confusion.
"As you can see, she's a patient. Condition could tank anytime. Leaving her here just puts her at needless risk whether we succeed or fail. One extra person exposed for nothing."
"...This started as just for kicks, but what's your deal with her exactly?"
"...Nothing..."
"She's my benefactor."
I cut off Pria's pointless modesty and stated it flat-out.
"If you're taking the deal, mind giving us the room for a sec? Gotta do some convincing."
I flashed a sly smile at Lena, who stared at us like we were some freak show.
///
An awkward silence settled as we sat facing each other alone. The chair I'd claimed had gone through its third owner in short order—Bald Walter, Black-Haired Lena, and now me.
"...I don't get it."
She spoke first.
"What'd I do to make me your benefactor?"
Fever messing with her memory? Or maybe she thought it was a dream. Looked like I'd have to revisit that wasteland chat from before.
"I told you. The moment you said 'you at least live and get to the city' and handed over all your rations? You were already my lifesaver."
"What's your angle? In the end, that sheriff saved you. And before that, you were the one who got me out of there."
"I'm no devout Buddhist or Taoist. But I do believe in cause and effect, to a degree."
Her holding onto hope in that place. Talking to me next door when I was losing my mind. Choosing the first person she'd met there over her own safety. Sharing what she had as she collapsed, telling me to live. Me sticking around that wasteland day to help her.
All of it linked up to bring us here. And it all stemmed from one principle I'd carried since my past life.
"I repay grudges halfway... and favors double."
I'd never broken that rule, no matter the situation.
"Outdated mindset."
"...Then ask why only half for grudges. And I like outdated."
Suddenly remembering, I raised my left arm and added,
"Don't like this one, though."
"......"
Pria sat there with a gloomy face, still not buying it. No choice—I had to drag out that one unresolved thing between us.
"You know I've got a hidden ace, right?"
She stared straight at me.
"Remember the formula I taught you?"
"......"
After a moment, she nodded heavily.
"Damn, you're sharp. Took me a week to memorize that."
"......"
"Keep at it steady. Can't hurt. Just one thing—be careful."
"...What the hell did you do to me?"
"Watch out for the heart demons that always cloud your mind."
"...You use weird words sometimes. Heart demon like Satan or something?"
"Yeah, whispers from that devil bastard. ...As long as the meaning lands."
I grinned at her dubious look and gave a short farewell.
"Someday, let's meet in Raze City. Bride."
"...I'm..."
Clap. I clapped to end the talk. I knew she was hiding something, just like my "amnesia."
"Wherever you are, Bride, you can find out where I am."
Expecting no reply, I explained why right away.
"...Can't stay quiet."
"...You won't stay quiet."
Our words overlapped. Caught off-guard by her response, I paused, and she added worriedly,
"...But be careful. Raze City... it's dangerous. The higher you climb, the harder you fall."
Bang.
The office door flew open right as she advised me.
"Convincing done? Even if not, time to roll. Out."
We stood and filed out at Lena's word. Just as I stepped through the door, she grabbed me from where she leaned against the frame.
"Don't cause trouble."
Click.
She deftly uncuffed my hands and holstered them at her waist.
"No man's less troublesome than me."
"F—... What kinda bullshit is that?"
Brushing past Lena—who barely swallowed her curse—I loaded warm-and-toasty Lady Pria into her car, where I'd spent most of the day, and went to shut the door.
"...Why only half for grudges?"
I paused, hand on the door, and met her dead-serious gaze.
"Half's enough—they drop dead anyway. Can't pay the rest to a corpse."
My prepared line fell flat. Guess it'd gone stale with time. Lena's sigh hit like a judge's gavel, making me feel legally fucked.
"...Gonna drive me nuts. Haha."
But she gave a faint smile and shut the door. Better than that beastly laugh I'd heard before, at least twice as good.
The sheriff's car carried her out of the village. I stood still, watching the busted taillight—only one side working—fade into the wasteland.
"She's gone."
I'd told her to go, but damn, she really did. Being left alone without a soul I knew hit lonelier than expected.
"Mister, what's your name?"
So I made a new acquaintance on the spot. I asked the middle-aged guy nearby who looked like the workshop owner.
"Joe."
A gruff reply.
"...Biden?"
"No. Just Joe."
Boring guy. I turned back to the office to wait. She'd said stay put, so I would. ...Or was it no trouble?
"Coffee?"
Pondering which as I headed inside, Joe called after me.
"Can't pass up a Joe from Joe."
"......"
"...Thanks."
He stared like I was trash even at my joke. Definitely boring. I gave up bonding and went inside.
......
.........
How much time passed? Long enough I wondered if this guy went to Raze City for coffee too. Then footsteps approached outside.
As the office's third chair owner, sprawled deep in it, I slowly straightened up.
Bang!
The door burst open aggressively, revealing some hulking figure.
"......"
"......"
We stared each other down for a beat. Or so I thought. Thing was, where his eyes should be sat a black visor jammed into his face.
Let's clarify: not wearing a visor. It was implanted in his skull.
"Alone?"
I regretted the question instantly. Felt like the scripted line for this setup, but he wasn't solo.
A rumble of noise, and a swarm of ugly mugs poured in. The not-so-spacious office filled up fast, surrounding me with every flavor of loser.
"...Hey, Trike. You're the best-looking of the bunch."
I said that to the guy I'd ragged on nonstop, stood, and grabbed the pencils on the desk.
One, two... seven, eight, nine.
Nine of them. Perfect—three pencils each. Felt promising.
Click! Click! Click!!
Until countless muzzles snapped toward me in unison.