“Very well. If you mean that you won’t repeat the same mistake, then I accept your apology. Be warned, however... I will not be so kind next time.” Ristia stared silently at Geiz, her crimson eyes glinting with killing intent.
Coming head-to-head with enough bloodlust that would send dragons running, Geiz was finding it hard to breathe and began sweating bullets. Ten seconds passed... then twenty. Once Geiz’s face began turning purple, Ristia finally drew her killing intent back in. Released from the terror, Geiz collapsed where he stood, his breathing obviously distressed. However, the other two looked confused as to why he suddenly sank to the floor. Ristia pretended like she didn’t know despite being the root cause, shifting her aim toward Jein.
“So what are you here for?”
“A-Aah, yeah. There’s only one reason I’m here today. I’m here inquiring about how you haven’t paid the taxes on the orphanage or this business.”
“...Taxes?”
It wasn’t that Ristia was unfamiliar with the system of taxation. After all, they collected taxes under the pretense of the fee for making identification papers when she first got to town, and she also knew that they charged the citizens taxes to let them reside in this town, as well. But an orphanage was a facility to take care of children without families, and they were meant to be tax exempt. At least, that was what Eindebelle had let her know.
“But orphanages don’t need to pay taxes, do they?”
“That was the case when the orphanage was poor, yes. But now you’ve built this fancy building, and I am sure your business is booming, as well.”
“Aah, and you’re saying that is why we now owe taxes.” Ristia figured that if it was a rule of the city, then she might as well abide by it, so she proceeded to ask, “How much will it be exactly?”
“Hmm, let’s see... A hundred gold pieces per year should suffice.”
If I make a necklace equal to the brooch I sold at the auction the other day and manage to sell that, it’ll be enough for about a hundred eighty tax payments. Shouldn’t be a problem if I do that, Ristia figured, her thought process slightly askew.
However, Jein saw Ristia’s silence and chuckled to himself.
“Heh heh heh... Don’t look so shocked. I don’t know how much of a nest egg you’ve got, but I do know that you probably don’t have enough to pay off that amount of taxes.”
“...Oh, um, really?” Ristia was about to pull out one hundred large gold pieces—not the smaller gold pieces, but enough to pay off ten years’ worth of taxes—but Jein’s assumption that she wouldn’t be able to pay it off put her in an awkward position. I wonder if I’d end up breaking his pride if I gave him ten years’ worth of taxes right here and now? Maybe I should take a few days to get it ready, at least... Ristia thought, giving care to his situation. Granted, if that did happen, Jein would be going home positively ecstatic. Unfortunately for Jein, that wasn’t meant to be. Jein had a different objective in mind from the very start, so he proposed an alternative plan for the hundred gold pieces.
“In exchange the orphanage paying its taxes, let the girls do some volunteer work.”
“...Volunteer work, you say?” When Ristia realized what those words were suggesting, a tremor rocked every corner of the continent. It was a tremor that only occurred just once, and it was small. Certainly not strong enough for anyone to take notice. Ristia was a girl with plenty of self-control, after all.
“That’s right. The previous director, Director Georg, would kindly offer a girl who would volunteer her services. But I’ve been in a hard place due to that idiot suddenly up and leaving. I don’t know under what circumstances you inherited the orphanage, but it’d be in your best interest to shoulder the work he left behind.” I sincerely doubt she’ll be refusing me, he thought, letting loose his vicious intent. But calling that “vicious intent” was presumptuous. To Ristia, it was simply a sense of discomfort. That was why she was at a loss as to her strategy from here. Of course, she had no intention of letting the crew that put Maria and the other children through hell off the hook, but at this point, Jein was nothing more than a small animal barking in bluster. She was at a loss... as to whether or not to kill someone like that.
Killing him right here in a straightforward manner... wouldn’t be a good idea. Just remembering Nanami’s reaction when I killed Gawain... Mm-hmm, definitely a bad idea. In that case... I could just punish him by chopping his arms and legs off... On second thought, no, Former Director George was really freaked out by that. The kids would be freaked out, too, I bet.
“Hah, you can bluff all you want, you’re just a little girl in the end. You’re so afraid that you’ve lost the ability to speak, haven’t you?”
“...Huh? Are you talking about me?”
“Who else is there besides you?”
Uh, I’m not afraid of him at all, though... Ristia commented to herself, but Jein seemed to be convinced that she was terrified. He had a truly amused expression on his face.
“Right, then. I’ll offer you another alternative. In place of the orphans, you can engage in volunteer services. I’m betting there’ll be high demand for someone with your looks.”
“...And why would I have to do that?”
“You value the children, right? If you keep up your bellyaching, then you might get my men mad, and they’ll end up attacking those precious children of yours.” The obvious threat of sicking his men on the children made Ristia’s brow furrow. “Heh, no need to look so anxious. That’s only in the case you don’t follow orders. If you do, then everything will wrap up neatly. You don’t want to see those children getting hurt either, now do you?”
“Well...”
He was right. If they were to attack the children, the children would undoubtedly fight back. And since the children didn’t understand their own strength, thanks to the brooches Ristia had given them as gifts, they would most likely pulverize the trio into the dust. Of course, Ristia could revive them if she didn’t wait too long after the children beat them to a bloody pulp, but... going so overboard would probably leave scars on the children’s hearts.
What a terrible threat to throw out, Ristia thought, her blood curdling. She had to end this quietly if she were to consider the children, but her offering her own “volunteer services” was definitely not happening. She wished that they would just accept the money and leave it at that, but if soliciting her services was at the heart of their visit, then it seemed like a tough deal. That being said, the only idea that popped into her mind was massacring Jein and his crew. But if she did that, the children would probably come to dislike her. Ristia had to be prudent in her decision here. Just as Jein had mentioned, she was being left with very few options.
What should I even do...? Ristia desperately thought. For example, I could kill him with a slow-acting poison. Then no one would know that I did it. That way, the kids wouldn’t come to fear me, right? Hmm... no. They might not come to fear me, but the kids might still get scared if they see these people in pain. What about just destroying their spirits, then? I feel like that’s doable, but... Oh, I got it! All I have to do is just instantly erase them without a trace. That way, I can fudge it by going, “Huh? Now, where did Mr. Jein and the other gentlemen go~?” Yup! That should do the ticket. Let’s go with that.