The inside of the Guild was a complete away game.
But why had it come to this?
(Perhaps…)
It was a guess, but from the game system’s perspective, these employees couldn’t refuse the bounty payment. This was because in the game, there were no instances where bounty payments were not made. It was the same situation as Ena encountering a restriction when trying to equip more than three rings. It was likely some kind of mental limitation that prevented them from refusing a direct request for bounty money.
Assuming the Guild members instinctively understood this, what action would they take? If being told meant it was over, then they just had to prevent themselves from being told. In the game, it was common for Players to accidentally forget to claim their rewards. It was a bit unorthodox, but perhaps they had enough freedom to accept it if we said, “We don’t need the reward.”
(However, what should I do?)
This situation was, of course, something I hadn’t anticipated. If it were simply a matter of not wanting to pay a large sum, I could have forced the issue. But it seemed like they were pushing the limits of their actual payment capabilities. While I had used the logic that if the game could pay it, we could too, there were no reports in the game of a large number of high-level monsters like Golden appearing. Or perhaps, it was a system where the bounty amount simply capped at 99,990,000 E, a fact no one knew.
Our earned bounty was 8,270,000 E. With the first-place bonus, it multiplied by ten, making it 82,700,000 E. This was quite close to 99,990,000 E. It wouldn’t be good if the Guild went bankrupt from us forcibly taking the money, or if we made enemies because of it. On the other hand, giving up such a large sum as 80,000,000 E was out of the question…
As I was lost in thought,
“…Please give me the bounty.”
Perhaps she lost patience, or perhaps she saw I was troubled. Ringo stepped forward at some point and said that.
(Oh, amazing, Ringo!)
In this situation, being oblivious was the ultimate weapon. The atmosphere in the Guild froze at her words, and the old man at the counter tried to escape by saying,
“My hearing’s been bad lately…”
but judging by the sweat on his brow, it wasn’t going to last long.
And in response, Ringo’s next action was also brilliant. Instead of getting angry or scolding her obvious evasion, she simply asked:
“…Are you going to break your promise?”
She cocked her head as she asked. This was tough.
They tried bringing up children and babies, but innocent words can sometimes be the ultimate mental attack. An awkward atmosphere spread through the Guild, and sweat began to pour down the old man’s forehead like a waterfall. I thought it was only a matter of time before the Guild gave up.
It wasn’t a wrong prediction, but the first person to move from the back of the counter was someone I hadn’t expected at all.
“I want to know too, Guild Master. Why aren’t you paying the money?”
The girl who was on a workplace tour said that and tapped the shoulder of the old man at the counter who was hard of hearing. I was surprised that the old man at the counter was the Guild Master, but my surprise at finally realizing the girl’s true identity was even greater.
(If I look closely, that girl is Poison-tan!!)
Poison-tan, whose real name was unknown, age unknown, and who had bottomless fighting power and a sharp tongue. I thought she was just some girl I often saw around town, but she really was a girl I saw often. But why was she here, when she usually only appeared walking around town? Could it be that the middle-aged employee I saw there was really her father, and she just came to see him?
I wondered, but the answer came from her next words.
“This is strange. They asked me to help because they were troubled, but why am I being made to help with something bad?”
Hearing this, I inwardly nodded in understanding. While she was a bundle of presence and individuality, her appearance was that of an ordinary town child. It was likely she was scouted as an extra while walking around town.
(Poor thing…)
Knowing the circumstances, I felt deep sympathy. And it wasn’t for Poison-tan, who had been brought here by being told random things. It was for the Bounty Hunter Guild members, who had desperately unearthed the worst possible talent.
“B-but, if the bounty money is taken here, the Guild’s operations from tomorrow onwards…”
The old man, who was the Guild Master, retorted without fully understanding the situation.
(Ah, he took the bait.)
Seeing his reaction, I involuntarily looked up at the sky. It was arguably the worst possible choice for dealing with this situation.
“Oh? Is that so?”
As proof, look. Poison-tan’s mouth curved into a smile, like a hunter who had found prey. What kind of venomous arrows would be unleashed from there? It was beyond my comprehension.
However, it was now a foregone conclusion that the Guild Master had no choice but to pay the bounty.
“We have prepared it. This is your bounty, 82,700,000 E.”
And ten minutes later. The Guild Master, whose spirit had been utterly broken by Poison-tan, barely managed to hand over a Crystal containing the bounty.
“Thank you.”
As I took the Crystal, I observed the Guild Master again. His eyes, which seemed to have aged significantly in less than ten minutes, now lacked any light. Instead of the radiance of reason, a great void had spread within them. Perhaps due to stress, the thinning hair on the top of the Guild Master’s head seemed to have lost even more presence.
“Um, I have something I’d like to discuss…”
It wasn’t for any particular reason, but I didn’t end the conversation there and spoke to him. His lightless eyes stared at me dully.
“I suddenly received a large sum of money and I’m not sure how to use it. So, I was wondering if you could teach me a good way to use it.”
Even after saying that, the Guild Master showed no reaction. He’s not a quick-witted person. But if I said the next words, he’d surely take the bait.
“For example, a place to lend money that you’ll definitely pay back.”
As expected, his reaction was dramatic. Light returned to the dried-up eyes of the Guild Master.
“Th-that is, could it be…”
“Yes. I’m thinking of lending this Guild some money.”
The moment I said that, not only the Guild Master but cheers erupted from the entire Guild.
“Th-then, please, by all means…”
To the Guild Master, who looked like he was about to grab onto me, I replied with a smile.
“Well, please calm down. For now, how about lending about half of the bounty, around 40,000,000 E? Don’t worry, the interest is just ‘toichi’.”
The Guild Master fainted.
“…It was just a joke, though…”
To explain, “toichi” is a loan interest rate said to be used by loan sharks, meaning “10% interest every 10 days.” If you underestimate and leave it unattended, it doubles in just three months due to the magic of mathematics, making it extremely dangerous and naturally prohibited in Japan.
In this case, with a principal of 40,000,000 E, the initial interest would be 4,000,000 E. You’d have to repay money equivalent to 4,000 stays at an inn every ten days, or the debt would continue to grow. It could truly be called exorbitant interest.
Of course, I had no intention of engaging in such predatory business. In fact, I wasn’t looking to make a profit by lending money, so it was just a joke to ease the tension for the Guild Master. I was a little shocked that it was taken so seriously.
After that, the revived Guild Master and Poison-tan discussed it, and we mutually agreed to lend approximately half of the bounty, 40,000,000 E, to the Bounty Hunter Guild for the time being. Apparently, if they can get through this immediate crisis, their funding should be manageable, and given their determination, there’s even a possibility they’ll pay the remaining amount within nine days.
However, since it would be a personal loan rather than a reward from the Guild, there would be no guarantee from the game system. There’s a risk of them defaulting or playing dumb.
Normally, I would be worried about this, but with Poison-tan intervening, I’m not too concerned. With Poison-tan acting as a reliable witness, if the Guild tries anything, there’s no doubt the Guild Master’s hair will be at risk.
In the worst-case scenario, I wouldn’t mind not receiving the remaining half. If I were to split the remaining 42,700,000 E with Ringo, I would have a little over 20,000,000 E. With that much, I could do most of the things I wanted to do. Of course, the more money I have, the better, but now that I’ve acquired such a large sum, I should try to be a little more magnanimous.
For now, I should forget about the troublesome things and rejoice that my money worries are gone. I thought so, but this world, ‘Nekoneko,’ doesn’t seem to allow me even that peace of mind.
“You again…”
Before us stood her, Mitsuki Hisame, once more.
“If this is about a duel request, or complaints about the recent subjugation tournament…”
I tried to cut her off preemptively, but Hisame shook her head.
“No. I’ve come because I have something to ask of you.”
“…Oh?”
Her tone was different from usual, so I changed my approach. As I became wary, Hisame, in addition to her usual expressionless face, twitched her cat ears and made an offer.
“I promise you the utmost generosity, surpassing any existing profession. Would you consider coming to my dojo and lending us your strength?”
