Reiko’s follow-up left the four men speechless.
“Seize them! Kill them if they resist!” the guards shouted.
“Whaaat?!”
The thugs cried out in shock, but the guards’ response was completely normal. There was no reason for them to risk their lives by being gentle with criminals. The thugs could have been armed, so it was natural for them to get attacked unless they discarded their weapons and raised their hands to show their compliance. A guard’s life would obviously be prioritized over a criminal’s.
Mere seconds ago, the four had been upstanding citizens of the royal capital—hunters by trade, making an honest living—but now, they were viewed only as criminals.
“N-No, wait! We haven’t laid a finger on her yet! We haven’t done anything! Besides, this is hunter business! You guards need to stay out of it!” the leader argued.
“‘Yet,’ you say?” Reiko immediately shot back. “So you’re admitting you planned to?”
“Oh...” the four idiots said at once.
It wasn’t as if it changed much, however. Phantom Bow’s job was to escort Can safely to her lodgings (unaware that they were a few meters away). Since the thugs had caused trouble, they were to neutralize them and prevent repeat offenses. The hunters would normally turn the thugs over to the guild master, but since the guards were involved, they would be the ones to handle it.
If the guild master handled the offenders, it would have been an internal matter, and could have resulted only in guild-related penalties. However, being arrested by guards made them criminals who had tried to attack a girl. The difference was massive. Reiko’s stated charges, even if they had only been attempted, were grave. There was no doubt they would have likely succeeded if the three groups hadn’t intervened. Normally, they might have been able to argue that they hadn’t gone through with the crime yet or that it was just banter between hunters and they were just using a pickup line, thereby getting off with just a warning or notice being sent to the guild, but not this time. This incident involved a target of special protection under the king’s direct orders. Had it been Kaoru herself, Falsetto would have already sliced the four in half.
Though Reiko was also a “goddess from another world,” as Einherjar, Falsetto had sworn her loyalty to Kaoru alone—the one who had revived and granted a divine sword to the guardian of the continent, the great hero Fearsome Fran. So, even though she respected Reiko as a goddess and Kaoru’s friend, any disrespect toward her didn’t enrage Falsetto like it would if it had been directed at Kaoru. Of course, that didn’t mean she would ignore disrespect to a goddess, and even knowing human attacks wouldn’t affect her principal, she’d strike without hesitation if they reached for their weapons. Falsetto’s physical prowess outclassed these lowlives so immensely that they could have begun drawing their swords before her and she’d still have cut them down without ever being in danger.
And so, the four C-Rank hunters were fortunate enough to narrowly escape death...from Falsetto, at least.
“Take them!”
The guards bound the four thugs’ hands and dragged them off at the senior guard’s command. The thugs desperately shouted that it was all a misunderstanding, but let themselves get carried off without resistance, knowing the moment they even presented the possibility of posing a threat, they would be cut down immediately.
Disappointed at losing her moment, Falsetto returned to the house with a sullen look, Reiko trailing her silently.
Realizing the job was over, the Phantom Bow just stood there. All they’d done was say “Hey” before Falsetto had cut them off. They couldn’t help but wonder if that counted as “something happening” for fifteen small gold coins, or “nothing” for five.
“I’m back!” Reiko announced.
“Welcome back. Oh, you were out too, Falsetto? Did something happen?” Kaoru asked.
“No, nothing,” Falsetto answered.
“Nothing at all. I made the delivery and left most of the reward with the guild,” Reiko added as she placed a coin purse full of gold coins on the table. “Here’s what I brought home with me.”
“Nice! A haul of this kingdom’s gold coins, and Can’s putting her name out there. And since you’re my guard, my stock rises too. Meanwhile, Falsetto’s identity as Einherjar stays hidden, and our goals are met. Very good... Now, we keep playing ‘Angel Theater,’ open Kyoko’s main shop in the capital, and spread the name of Salette, the mysterious merchant with amazing goods.”
Kaoru grinned, pleased things were going as planned. Indeed, Edith and Can were becoming more famous, just as she’d wanted... However, whether things would end up how she’d hoped was another matter entirely.
“Thank you for waiting. Here’s the remaining payment for the prior delivery,” the guild receptionist said as she handed Reiko the reward from the client, deliberately avoiding the words “unicorn horn”—though it was too late for such precautions now. Besides, they were in a private room, so no one could overhear their conversation.
The multiple leather bags holding the gold coins were free gifts, it seemed. Kaoru, a leather bag enthusiast, would be thrilled.
This time, Reiko had brought a large shoulder bag that was sturdy enough for the weight—assuming the bottom didn’t rip and the straps didn’t snap—and Reiko could even lift it. One gold coin weighed about a quarter ounce, roughly the same as a five-hundred-yen coin, but gold was over twice as dense, meaning it took up half the volume.
“Are you sure you want to take it all?” the receptionist asked. “We can hold it here or transfer it to the Commerce Guild, if you’d like...”
The receptionist’s insistence wasn’t about keeping the money but concern for Reiko. It was a massive sum of money; far too dangerous for a young girl to carry around without guards, and it was unlikely she had a safe place to store it even if she reached her lodgings. Assuming she did make it home, it wouldn’t have been surprising if five or six groups of thieves broke in that night. On the other hand, keeping it at the Hunter’s Guild or Commerce Guild would eliminate the risk of it getting stolen. She could still get kidnapped or have her family taken as hostages, but without the physical coins on-site, it would likely reduce the risk of break-ins and buy her time instead of getting killed then and there. With luck, guards would catch the imposter sent to claim the money or notice what was happening if she was coerced into withdrawing it.
Plus, the sheer weight seemed far too much for a petite girl to carry alone...though, in truth, Reiko had slipped the bags into her Item Box, so they were virtually weightless.
Thinking the girl would give up if she couldn’t lift the bag, the receptionist gave up on convincing her. Moments later, Reiko hoisted the bag effortlessly onto her shoulder, leaving the receptionist gaping in shock; an unprofessional display for a guild employee.
This time, not a single party followed Reiko as she left the guild building. Everyone knew what had happened to the C-Rank party, and no one banked on guards conveniently showing up again. Hunters without the knack for spotting danger didn’t last long, and they all had the sense to avoid her.
“Yes! Scored a big bag of cold, hard cash! We’ve got plenty of this kingdom’s current coins now! Reiko put her name out there, and the funds for Kyoko’s capital shop are set!”
The gold was split into four bags: three small ones for each of KKR, and a larger one Kaoru stored in her Item Box for shared assets. The small bags were for personal spending, but they weren’t strictly separate. They were divided for convenience so they wouldn’t have to pull funds out of the communal bag every time they needed to buy something. They would spend their funds for shared goals, redistributing them if one ran low, and refilling from the main stash when needed. Basically, the three shared one wallet. Since any of them could earn big if they wanted, money wasn’t a big deal.
They’d also given Falsetto a few gold coins. She was supposed to be a hired guard, and she’d need to spend money too. Her guard contract reward was deposited with the guild, but daily expenses like food were covered separately. Even Kaoru’s crew wasn’t heartless enough to tell Falsetto to fend for herself.