𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟕: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥
The one who lent money to Asuka and the others was not a loan shark.
Rather, it was a very kind old woman. She is the original owner of the watermill hut where [Hope] is based.
She warmly welcomed me when I visited her mansion.
“I apologize for the late introduction. I am Lionel, the clan leader of those girls.”
“I know. You’re everyone’s Okaa-san.”
An old woman named Mary chuckles.
Probably, they’ve been feeding her all sorts of stories.
After a few words of small talk, I bring up the main topic.
It’s about the girls’ debt.
When they started adventuring, they borrowed money from Mary and equipped themselves with gear that could be considered beyond their means.
That in itself actually worked out quite well.
The crazy tactics they showed when we first met, their victory was partly due to the quality of their equipment.
If they had thought like normal adventurers and waited until they had saved up enough money for equipment, Asuka probably would have died before she met me.
And it goes without saying what would happen to the rear guard after losing the vanguard.
“I heard that you lent them money for their equipment. As for the equipment, the clan has decided to bear the cost, so would it be okay if the clan repays the money instead of the three girls?”
Well, it doesn’t matter either way.
Money is money, no matter who pays it back.
“Lionel-san. Isn’t that a bit overprotective?”
Mrs. Mary smiles wryly.
I know, but. . .
“It’s just this once. I felt sorry for them, scrimping and saving in a resort area without even buying clothes because they have debts.”
“You shouldn’t spoil them too much.”
The woman who said this with a laugh took out the debt certificate and tore it up in front of me.
“Huh?”
“And this is the money I’ve been keeping from those girls so far. It’s still a little bit, though.”
She then places three small leather bags on the table.
I’m a little slow to understand.
So she’s been keeping the money they’ve repaid?
Why would she do that?
“See, if you don’t force them to save money like this, they’ll spend it all, won’t they? Those girls.”
Oh, wow.
I have too many suspicions.
They were practically penniless when they met me.
But what a warm-hearted lady she is.
To show such kindness to the three orphan girls.
“Then, I will certainly take care of this money. And I will definitely make it useful for those girls.”
“Please do. Lionel-okaasan.”
Mrs. Mary grips my outstretched right hand.
I wanted a mother like this too.
・・・
『”𝙰𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜.𝚌𝚘𝚖” – 𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘v𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚒v𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚘v𝚎, 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚍v𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎, 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚞𝚕𝚐𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚕e𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚗𝚘v𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 “𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚞𝚙𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜” 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚒v𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚘 “𝚊𝚍v𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜”.』
・・・
After finishing my business, I was on my way to the adventurer’s guild to look for a promising request when I bumped into someone in the crowd.
Thump.
It’s not unusual, but it’s a pickpocket.
I quickly twist the hand that was slipped into my pocket.
“Ouch! What are you doing!”
“That’s my line. You’re a bold guy, targeting an adventurer’s lonely wallet.”
The hat falls off, and chestnut hair flows smoothly.
I thought it was a strangely high-pitched voice, but it’s a girl.
In that case, I hesitate to be too rough.
I really want to spank her, though.
I let go of her hand quickly.
“Go ahead. I’ll be at the adventurer’s guild.”
With that mysterious line.
The pickpocket girl glares at me, snatches up her fallen hat, and runs away like a scared rabbit.
Well, she’ll come to see me soon anyway.
❂
“Oh, here she comes.”
As I was chatting with Jennifer, who was killing time in the guild lobby, a girl with a very sour face opened the swing door at the entrance and came in.
“Hey. You’re quicker than I thought.”
I show her a grin.
Waving the girl’s wallet in my right hand.
I pickpocketed it while we were scuffling.
Well, she was trying to escape and struggling, so her concentration was completely on that.
It’s just a story of how I was able to pick it up with my level of sleight of hand.
I told her where I was going so she would know where she lost it.
Of course, I’ve also told Jennifer the whole story.
“You little. . .”
“Calm down, calm down. How about some tea? I had a little extra income.”
“Isn’t that my money!”
She’s really angry.
“Lionel-san, it’s pitiful if you tease her too much.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
I casually toss the wallet to the girl.
Even after she catches it, she growls threateningly at me. She doesn’t leave either.
“You had some business and were following me around, right? Then, you were planning to steal my wallet, return it to me, and ask me to listen to your request. Am I wrong?”
“How. . .?”
The girl’s large eyes widen even more.
Well, if you can’t read that much, you should quit being a strategist.
Let’s put aside the fact that I noticed I was being followed. If her only goal was to pickpocket, she wouldn’t carry her own wallet around, and if it was stolen, she would give up.
Because it’s dangerous to make contact multiple times.
But she didn’t do that. She’s still here, even after the wallet was returned.
The conclusion that can be drawn from this is that she needs something from me.
“He’s a rare strategist who, in less than ten years, has pushed a clan started by just two orphans to become one of the top clans. You can’t easily outsmart this man, Ojou-san.”
Jennifer chuckles.
It’s not that big of a deal. I was just lucky.
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