Chapter 131: Wanted, part 6
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Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
I gave her my name, and the girl introduced herself as Rabi. She had given up entirely on fighting me, and showed me where the hostage was being held without reservation.
The building we were in was once a normal villager’s home. There was no basement, and the room used to hold Amstel’s daughter was protected by a force field. When we opened the door, she showed no signs of having been mistreated, displaying considerable affection to Rabi instead.
「Where are you taking me, onee-chan?」
「Mm. Back to your father, Sil-chan. You’re going home.」
「Okay!」
Oh yeah, Amstel’s daughter is called Silfyn. I remember now.
The two girls left the room hand-in-hand like sisters. Since I had already set up a ‘Gate’ at Amstel’s village, I blinked back, bringing them with me.
As soon as we arrived at his residence, Amstel rushed outside to receive us.
「Silfyn!」
「Ah, Papa!」
She trotted over to Amstel, who raised his daughter into the air.
「Thank goodness… did anything happen?」
「Nope, I’m fine!」
Thank goodness, repeated Amstel with tears in his eyes. Feeling awkward, Rabi tried to hide behind me.
「Thank you… you brought my daughter back really fast」, he said, extending his hand.
I returned the handshake.
「Don’t mention it. I’m glad she’s okay.」
「But who’s that over there?」
Rabi shrunk even further.
「Oh, she’s the girl who helped rescue your daughter.」
「Eh? But I’m… uh…」
Silfyn waved her hand innocently.
「Thanks, onee-chan!」
「Yeah… ahaha…」, laughed Rabi, forcing an awkward smile.
「I see」, said Amstel, nodding. 「I cannot express my gratitude enough. Pray tell me, how can I repay this debt?」
He decided to invite us inside and had tea and snacks brought to the table. Both Rabi and I felt that there was no need to go to such lengths, but we yielded upon his insistence.
「I… I think I’m good. I’m going home.」
「No, you come along too. You have to live with your guilt.」
「Uuuu…」
Making sure that Rabi didn’t get to leave, we entered the former baron’s residence. The four of us made small talk over tea and snacks, and the conversation eventually drifted to the rescue.
「From what I have found out, the kidnappers were from Welger & Co.」
「Belonging to Welger & Co…!?」, exclaimed Amstel, his eyes as wide as plates.
I nudged Rabi, who was seated beside me on the sofa. Since there are some details I don’t know, it would be best to make her enlighten us, I thought.
「Ah, yes. Uhm… part of Welger & Co. deals in shady business. But while the kidnappers were indeed from the association, they were only acting on the directions of another person.」
「And this person is…?」
Her version matched that of Bale’s — Welger & Co. was only a vassal, behind which stood a mastermind.
「A noble from the Kingdom of Ferland…」
A noble from Ferland? Glancing at Rabi, I noticed that she was reluctant to continue. I nudged her again and raised my chin.
「Speak.」
「It’s gonna be bad…」, she said, tears welling up in her eyes.
「You’ll be fine. Just speak.」
「Okay, okay, stop making that scary face. The person giving the instructions is Lord Barbatos Guerrera… please, keep it within these walls!」
She pressed a finger to her own lips.
「Barbatos Guerrera… a baron…」
I have heard that name before, but I can’t associate a face with it.
「Are you affiliated with this Barbatos person, Amstel-san?」, I asked.
「No… not at all. This is my first time hearing his name as well.」
In that case, the innocent Amstel and his daughter must have been dragged into this affair by pure luck, or rather the lack thereof. This Barbatos person borrowed Amstel’s name to make a request, effectively anonymising himself — he must be a cautious character.
Not only that, but I have nothing to do with him either. Although it’s entirely possible that someone who knows me simply changed his name…
「Seriously, this information itself is dangerous! Please, please keep it a secret!」, wailed Rabi hurriedly.
「I know, I know.」
「That’s how a person who doesn’t know would reply! Promise me that you won’t tell anyone! Pinky promise!」, she continued, looking at me with a serious expression.
She had already extended her pinky, so I had no choice but to return the gesture.
「If you break this promise, then you must swallow a thousand needles!」
「That’s all? I can do that whenever you want.」
Raising our pinkies up and down, Rabi squinted.
「Eh? You can?」
「No… pretend I never said anything.」
「Hm? Okay then, anyway. We pinky promised! I dodged a bullet there…」
She smiled, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.
How reliable does she think a pinky promise is? The way she was munching on cookies and gulping down tea, it was almost as if she had already completed her job.
「Amstel-san, I believe you can retract the request now.」
「Ah, that’s true. I’m glad I don’t have to fork out the money for the prize.」
The person with the bounty on his head is right in front of him, though.
「But this Welger & Co… they really turned to the dark side at some point. This is my first time hearing that they have shady dealings」, continued the former baron.
「Was it not always the case?」
「Nope. During my time there, it was an honest business guild, pure in virtue. Everyone was doing their best」, he replied, smiling wistfully.
「During your time there…?」
「Hey! Listen! This chocolate chip cookie is absolutely deli –」
「Eat more, then」, I snapped, stuffing a few said cookies into her mouth.
「It’s not what you think」, continued Amstel. 「I was the head of that association… the Guild Master.」
「And when did you step down?」
「It was before the downfall of the Kingdom of Vadenhaag. Back then, we had a large mansion in Izalia and trading houses at various strategic locations.」
He raised his cup, took a sip and returned it gently to his saucer.
「Tell me more.」
「It’s not particularly interesting, you know?」
「Go on」, I replied, seeing his bitter smile.
「In the beginning, I was just a poor farmer.」
After going through an impoverished childhood, he had made up his mind to go into business. Though he insisted that it was only luck, talent had no doubt played a part in his success.
To put it simply, it’s a story of how a poor farmer started from the bottom and made it to the top.
Converting from a simple peddler to a shopkeeper, he ended up earning much more. Eventually, his business expanded into a multinational corporation, and he changed its name to ‘Welger & Co.’ As different areas had their own commerce laws, he had bought a lordship in order to standardise them for himself.
「However, the deputy master ended up usurping my position, kicking me out of my own association.」
「And the association has been engaging in shady practices ever since…」
I see. I had nothing more to learn from Amstel, so I bid him farewell and left with Rabi. They saw me outside and waved as we left.
「Where are you going?」
「Home.」
「Can I follow…?」
「No.」
「But I have nowhere to return to… and I failed my assignment on top of that…」
「You’re from the association, aren’t you?」
「No! I’m a mage employed under Lord Guerrera!」
「What bad taste he has, employing a useless mage like you.」
「Oi! He’ll kill me for failing… take responsibility for what you’ve done!」
「And what part of it was my fault?」
「Don’t put it that way! How about I… I… service you?」
「I have no interest in some kid.」
「I’m not a kid!」
Sensing that she had stopped following me, I turned around to see Rabi in her underwear.
「Look… I’m an adult…」
Lowering her head slightly, she bit her lip. Her face was red. Sighing, I helped her put on her clothes again.
「Remember this. Only children find the need to declare that they are adults.」
「But you’re an adult… and you’re really cool…」
Looks like I can’t convince her otherwise. Fine, I thought, as recognition of her tenacity and resoluteness…
「You can follow me. Or don’t. It’s up to you.」
「Really? Thank you, Roland!」
True to her word, she followed me back to my room in the castle. You should’ve seen her face when I told her that was where I lived.
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