Chapter 44

Special Story A Wolf, a Hare, and a Stingy Priest “Our boss this time around has a weak point—he’s stingy. I can’t believe he actually paid me a bonus for defeating one of the Demon Lord Army’s leaders…in carrots…” Back at their room at the inn, Rabi grumbles as she crunches on one of the gourmet Golden Carrots ordered from the Church. “It was beyond desperately dangerous. He doesn’t like paying in cash… That’s making a mockery of mercenaries everywhere!” “But, Rabi, you love carrots.” “…That’s not the point! It must be great for you, Sanya, not having a whole lot to think about.” Rabi makes a show of being cruel, but her expression actually softens a bit. Sanya is no less astounded by the event. Rabi’s rabbit-like red eyes are glued on the Golden Carrots. She looks respectable in most cases, but right now, she’s being compelled by her werebeast instincts. These luxury Golden Carrots come with a little anecdote that states they once used to be worth their weight in gold, but they’re certainly not worthy as compensation for defeating one of the Demon Lord Army’s leaders. That said, Rabi does look really, really excited—she’s a cheap date. “Every time you defeat a member of the Demon Lord Army’s inner circle, I’ll give you a Golden Carrot. And if you defeat five of them, I’ll throw in one more as a bonus!” “…Boss, are you making fun of me?” “So you don’t want them?” “……I’ll take all the carrots I can get.” Rabi usually sounds subdued, but right now, she’s somehow chipper. When Bran told me she was a wererabbit, I wondered, “Why a rabbit?” but now I’m really glad I hired her. Compared with Rabi, Miss Wolf over here—who didn’t manage to meet her anticipated value—is puffing her cheeks, disgruntled. “Boss, what about me? What if I defeat one of ’em?” “I already gave you a cash bonus.” Don’t you remember? I kicked your ass in our sparring match. I have nothing else to offer. “Huh? That’s it?! That’s all you’re giving me?! Are you serious?!” Sanya’s eyes are wide in disbelief as she slaps the table in objection. Come on, now… Sanya’s obsessed with battle. Even without a bonus, she’ll fight for me; I know it. “I see. So you’re just selfishly trying to negotiate pay? Your master will be upset with you.” “No, well, but… Boss, you’re a total abomination, but you’re a priest, after all, so I just thought maybe if I tried harder…” How rude. Abominations are what we kill. Human beings make up for their weaknesses with intelligence. Sanya purses her lips and Rabi shoots a glance in my direction, sighing. “Either way, we don’t have a chance. Anyone who makes a bet on a coin flip with our master only to immediately go and smash the coin is one hotheaded fool. You solve everything through force. It makes demons look like the more rational—” “You said you got a good deal out of it… But is this the real reason why, Ares…?” Amelia’s stare is ice-cold. Such insolence. However, everything went well… Any and all depravity is allowed if it’s in the name of justice. Everything is on the Church for not giving me a big-enough budget to begin with. My payment methods aren’t to blame here. That said, as their boss, it irks me to be called stingy. I think for a moment before saying, “Well, let’s see… Sanya, if you take down someone in the Demon Lord’s inner circle…I’ll let you spar with me again.” “Whaaa…? But, boss, knives and arrows and even pistols don’t work on you. Do you enjoy making me suffer that much? Look, you just do your own thing. I lose. This is the first time I’ve lost and felt more disgust than respect. You should be the one to defeat the Demon Lord.” They’re all really laying into me here… Please, it’s not like nothing works against me. However, it’s easy to imagine what a rabbit likes, but if you ask me what a wolf might like… Not so simple. “…How about raw meat?” “…If you’re talking in terms of a bonus, I’m just gonna get pissed off at you, y’know?” “…Ah, my apologies.” “Were you really just talking about a bonus for me?! Damn, boss, that’s just cruel!!” Sanya is glaring at me with sheer disgust. It’s true that she has wolf DNA in her bloodline, but she is a human, after all. Maybe raw meat was a little over the top. But anyway, a wolf… She’s probably not too obsessed with money, so what would she go for as bait? We’re going to be together for quite some time, and I would definitely like to boost her motivation. “If you were a cat, then catnip might be an option…” “Um… Boss? Are you for real?” I take a long, hard look at Sanya: her amber skin, striking silver hair and ears, supple muscles, and moderately sized bust. She’s a wolf… A wolf. Hmm… I look to Amelia for help, but she shrugs, clearly incredulous. Sanya is wagging her tail. There is still a number of the Demon Lord Army’s elite out there. It’s not as if we have to be the ones to take them down, but I can’t just start forking over expensive items on our current budget… Crap, maybe I really am that stingy? Having hemmed and hawed all I care to, I furrow my brow and finally say, “…How about a collar?” Sanya’s eyes fly open and she takes a step back. Rabi even stops munching on her carrot, she’s so disturbed. “Just what exactly do you intend to do to Sanya, putting a collar on her?! I didn’t know you had such depraved hobbies, boss…” “Boss, you really don’t think of us as anything more than useful pets, do you? I’m gonna tell our master!” No, that’s not true… But speaking of dogs, they need a collar and a leash… Oh right, but Sanya’s a wolf not a dog. As I fall silent, Amelia ponders for a moment before adding nonchalantly, “Ares… Wasn’t Stey enough for you?! If that’s really what you want, though…you can put the collar on me.” “?!” Hey, Amelia, don’t try to twist things—the leash I put on Stey was to keep her from getting lost.