BSS 128

Chapter 128

“Th-that’s… that’s everything.”

“Nothing in the pockets either.”

Even after searching her thoroughly, the woman didn’t seem satisfied. She rummaged through Jack’s belt and pockets as well, where he lay unconscious behind them. But there was no way a pair of thieves would be carrying much.

What were they expecting, when they only ever carried thirty gold coins each?

“Hm. Going back like this feels like a loss. Don’t you think so, Rai?”

“Woong!”

“What would make me feel better…?”

“Wow-woong!”

“What? If I do that, blood will splatter everywhere. I hate getting my shoes dirty.”

“I—I’m so sorry! Great Mage! We failed to recognize you! Please, just this once, spare us, and from now on—ugh?!”

The thief had thought that flattering her a little would put her in a good mood. After all, she was clearly the self-congratulatory type. Surely she’d laugh it off and let them go.

That was a grave miscalculation.

The pain of a blow to his forehead forced him to shut his mouth.

“A mage? Huh? A mage?”

“F-forgive me. I misspoke. I should have said the all-knowing and great Archmage instead. Right?”

He was hit again.

The pain returned as she struck him with the hilt of a dagger. The handle was decorated with sharp edges, making it hurt like hell.

“Who are you calling a mage?! Are your eyes just for decoration? Look properly!”

Under the relentless violence, the thief desperately racked his brain, driven by the single thought that he had to survive.

She used magic, but wasn’t a mage. And judging by how expertly she struck him again and again, she wasn’t an ordinary brawler either. But she did use magic, so she couldn’t be a pure fighter!

Then…!

A realization flashed through his mind. The thief shouted out his answer with confidence.

“W-wait! I get it! You’re not a mage—you’re a monk! A monk, right? Huh? Mon—no—gaah!”

“Someone like Rai?!”

“Woong?”

As if locking him in water and beating him hadn’t been enough, she grabbed him by the hair and shook him violently.

The thief begged and pleaded for his life, but the woman showed no signs of calming down.

“I’ll teach you properly while I have the chance!”

“P-please! Put the knife away first—!”

“You repeat after me. Begin.”

“Huh?”

“Spir—”

“Huh?”

“—it! Sum-mon-er!”

This woman clearly believed that violence was the best teacher.

She hit him every time he uttered a single syllable.

“I’M A SPIRIT SUMMONER! A SPIRIT SUMMONER—A WATER SPIRIT SUMMONER!”

The thief, who had chosen the wrong target to rob, learned one unforgettable truth through this ordeal.

Spirit summoners were evil beings.

And above all, water spirit summoners were the kind you should never, ever mess with.

He was beaten until it became impossible to tell who the real victim was.

“Yaa-hoo! Did you all wait for me?”

I’m baaaack!

Having recovered the stolen goods, I returned to the inn with confident steps—only to run straight into three men who were fully prepared to head out, along with an unusually excited Aini.

“…O-oh. You’re back, sis?”

Judging by how openly startled—and disappointed—she looked, Aini had clearly wanted to go out without me.

This is why you shouldn’t take in animals with black hair… though Aini had silver hair.

“Oh? We thought it’d take much longer, so we were just about to head out ourselves.”

“No one was waiting, you know?”

It seemed no one had been thinking about me at all.

Rox and Chad simply looked surprised, while Ash at least tried to offer something resembling comfort.

“You came back quickly. Aini was so eager to go out that we were just about to look for you, Ms. Ginny.”

“What? When did I ever—ugh!”

Chad, being utterly tactless, earned himself a jab in the side from Ash. But I wasn’t delicate enough to be hurt by something like that.

I just felt like I’d rushed back for nothing.

I’d expected Aini to be crying her eyes out while everyone panicked and waited. Clearly, that hadn’t been necessary.

If I’d taken my time, I could’ve rested alone in my room without running into anyone. What a waste.

“You’re impressive. You really did retrieve the sword?”

Sensing my subtle silence, Ash stepped closer and deliberately showed interest.

He was the only one who seemed to appreciate my effort.

“Of course. Who do you think I am?”

“That’s a relief.”

Watching Ash smile made me want to tear off that polymorph necklace of his. I found myself oddly curious about what he’d look like smiling with his real face.

“We were worried you wouldn’t be able to find it.”

Usually, once something was stolen, it was gone for good.

But who was I?

I was Ginny Crowell, who had survived a dragon’s lair and was the contractor of the Metal Spirit.

I had an excellent metal-detecting dog.

“Oh? You really found it?”

“Lucky, huh.”

Rox and Chad finally seemed to grasp the situation and walked over, murmuring in admiration.

I proudly showed off the longsword slung across my back.

“Ahem. Skill.”

“You must’ve done a lot of good deeds in a past life.”

“Your ancestors helped you out.”

You little—

“It was skill, I tell you!”

“Normally, not getting robbed in the first place is the real skill.”

“…Tch.”

I’d struck a pose to boast, but among travelers, getting robbed usually marked you as a fool.

A seasoned traveler would never make such a rookie mistake, and it was downright humiliating.

To defend myself, I wasn’t a profession with sharp senses, and by all accounts, I was a complete beginner traveler.

Even if I had just tamed a dragon and earned the title of Saintess right after entering the world.

“But are you sure it’s okay to carry it on your back like that? You’ll just get robbed again.”

“It’s fine. I replaced the strap with something sturdier.”

The sword had a long strap meant to be worn over the body. It used to be a thin leather strap, but the thieves had cut it when they stole the sword, forcing me to replace it.

This time, I had Rai weave a long chain from a special alloy.

It was so durable that only shears crafted by a dwarf master, after mixing mithril and orichalcum in the optimal ratio, could cut it.

To forcibly separate the sword from my body now, they’d have to cut me in half.

No—before that, I’d cut the thief into quarters. Just try touching it again.

“Why not just hang it at your waist?”

“……”

“That’d be the safest.”

“Of course I know that! It’d drag on the ground!”

“Ohhh, short legs! Hah! Too bad.”

Damn it, Chad. He’d definitely asked on purpose.

Is height everything?!

The way he looked down at me and snickered made me want to punch him the moment my hand could reach.

Longswords were usually made for sturdy men, which made it quite difficult for a slender, delicate, petite, elegant, and dignified woman like me to wear one at the waist.

Well, I did have the strength to chop thieves in half, of course.

“By the way, you look awfully refreshed.”

“Huh? Do I?”

“You seem brighter.”

“Maybe because you got the sword back.”

Rox was right. He had a good eye.

Even with Chad teasing me, I wasn’t nearly as irritated as usual—because I’d thoroughly vented months of pent-up anger on the thieves.

I felt incredibly refreshed.

After unloading all the stress from humoring a dragon brat and raising children totally unsuited to me, the world felt so beautiful I almost started humming.

People really shouldn’t bottle up stress.

Those guys made great punching bags… I mean, thieves.

They even apologized by giving me this. I liked the dagger so much I kept taking it out to admire it.

I’d needed one anyway—how thoughtful of them to have one ready.

Chad tilted his head, puzzled, as he watched me fidget with it.

“What’s that dagger? You didn’t have it earlier.”

“Huh? They gave it to me.”

“Who did?”

“The thieves.”

“……”

“Why do you look like you don’t believe me? Not that I asked you to.”

With nowhere to put it, I roughly tucked the dagger into my belt, which only had hooks for money pouches.

Thinking about it again, I felt a twinge of regret.

I should’ve taken the belt with the dagger sheath too!

Who cared if his pants fell down?!

Sigh. I’m just too kind. How am I supposed to survive in this harsh world?

“…Don’t tell me you shook down the thieves.”

“Can’t exactly deny that.”

“You’re ridiculously proud.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

Chad looked utterly dumbfounded, but where do you think Rai got her shamelessness from? From me, of course.

“Then don’t get robbed in the first place!”

“Instead of nagging, shouldn’t you be saying something else?”

“Like what?”

“Congratulations! That’s what normal people say!”

“Oh. Congrats. Buy us dinner.”

What the hell, you shameless bastard?!

Was this some kind of self-hatred? I couldn’t stand Chad’s audacity.

“Are you insane?! Where’s your shame?! Don’t disgrace the name of Dmitri!”

“Shame doesn’t feed you, but congratulations does!”

“…Ash! Are you sure it’s okay to keep someone like this around?!”

I ended up yelling as I turned to Ash. There was no way this guy was guardian material.

“Hm?”

Ah.

“W-what? What do you mean by that?”

When Rox followed up, I hastily spun my stiff pointing finger away from Chad and toward the main road.

“Uh, I mean… let’s go out! You were heading out anyway, right? Let’s go together! I wanted to buy a sheath for the dagger!”

I moved first before cold sweat could form.

I really needed acting lessons. Even I could tell that was an awkward diversion.

Rox started giving me a suspicious look, which I deliberately ignored.

Ash’s gaze was calm as ever—but just as frightening to meet.

I wanted to scream.

‘Why can’t I call the prince a prince?!’

But deep down, I knew the answer.

Because I didn’t know what kind of disadvantage Ash might suffer on the exam if I did.