Chapter 35: That’ll Cost Extra

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: That’ll Cost Extra

The name struck him silent for a full five seconds, as if he were trying to confirm he wasn’t just hearing things.

’All I did was have a couple of extra drinks at the tavern last night and wake up a little late this morning.’

’How could I come back to find my job gone?’

’Besides, this kid is wearing dirty, old, tattered linen clothes.’

’He’s obviously just some pathetic beggar they pulled off the street.’

Seeing him stunned, Annis lifted her chin even higher. "Move aside."

Odin’s gaze went past Annis, landing on Hesia inside the carriage.

He didn’t dare get angry at his employer, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t take it out on the "beggar" who had stolen his livelihood.

"It’s Galen, right?"

"Get down here!"

There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Hesia had, of course, considered that this gleaming Golden Shield probably wasn’t as easy to earn as it looked.

After all, people who could casually hand out a Golden Shield weren’t usually fools.

He had more or less figured out the current situation.

So, it turned out this young lady, Annis, wanted to use him as a "knife" to drive away that fellow, Odin.

But so what?

That was a real, solid Golden Shield.

’If only I had a spell like the Identification Skill, at least I could gauge this guy’s strength...’

The thought flashed through his mind as his gaze fell on Odin up ahead.

Fortunately, in his eyes, the man before him was all bark and no bite.

He didn’t even feel nearly as strong as Captain Cardan of the Print guards.

The risk was manageable, and the reward was huge.

At this thought, he no longer hesitated.

Magic Power flowed within his body, and his will moved in tandem.

[Earth Spike Technique]

In an instant, the ground burst open!

Three sharp Earth Spikes, each nearly two meters long, shot up from the ground. Intersecting at a precise angle, they instantly trapped the confident-looking Odin—horse and all—forming a natural rock cage.

"NEIGH—!"

The tall warhorse, startled, reared up violently and let out a long, shrill whinny.

Caught off guard, Odin was thrown from the saddle by the immense force. With a cry of alarm, he scraped against the edge of a sharp Earth Spike and landed ungracefully on his back.

Hesia was also a little surprised.

He had only intended it as a warning and didn’t expect the man to be so easily defeated.

After all, the way he’d spurred his horse to block their path earlier had looked quite convincing.

"Ma... Magic!?"

Odin’s face went pale with terror as he stared at the Earth Spikes glowing with a yellow, earthy light beside him. He scrambled backward, tumbling over himself.

"I... I give up! I surrender, Your Excellency, esteemed Galen Mage!"

Standing nearby, Annis’s beautiful almond-shaped eyes went wide. She unconsciously covered her mouth, her face a mask of disbelief.

She had only wanted to anger Odin into leaving; she never expected the young man she’d casually "picked up" off the street to actually be a real Mage!

More importantly, she was familiar with some Magic, but this cage-like spell formed from Earth Spikes was clearly not Basic Magic.

Hesia had never intended to harm Odin; otherwise, the Earth Spikes would have pierced him rather than just surrounding him.

He leaned against the carriage and spoke lazily.

"I won’t bother getting down. Just get lost."

As if granted a pardon, Odin bowed and scraped, spouting clumsy flattery. "Yes, yes, yes! I’ll scram, I’ll scram right away! Your... your magnanimous radiance is simply..."

"Don’t you dare leave!"

Annis suddenly cut in, leaning halfway out of the carriage. She pointed at Odin’s nose and said bluntly, "I knew you were a fraud! How dare a fraud like you act so arrogant? You actually had the nerve to demand I listen to you on the road?"

Odin’s face fell. He explained awkwardly, "I just wanted to look more professional... I heard that’s how skilled Adventurers act."

Annis: "..."

She was rendered nearly speechless by his absurd logic, then berated him even more furiously. "You pulled that same horse-blocking stunt in front of the butler, and he fell for your nonsense, saying, ’As expected of an experienced Professional’!"

Odin hurriedly continued to plead, "My lady! I’m just a riding instructor! In a backwater place like Houlder, where would you find any truly skilled Adventurers? It... it was just that you offered so much money, I... I just..."

As he spoke, he fumbled to untie a heavy Money Bag from his waist and tossed it onto the ground.

"This... this is the deposit! I’m giving it all back! Every last coin!"

Without another glance at Annis, he turned and scrambled away, chasing after his spooked warhorse that had run off into the distance.

’Houlder?’

Hesia’s sharp ears caught the name of the place.

He remembered clearly that just a moment ago, Annis had acted as if she’d never heard of the place.

He turned to look at Annis beside him.

He saw that the young lady had realized her lie was exposed. Her pretty face slowly turned bright red, and she froze, her eyes darting away, unable to meet his gaze.

Hesia instantly guessed what was going on.

’This young lady probably looks down on a "backwater place" like Houlder and can’t be bothered to admit she even knows of it. Maybe she’s even from there herself?’

’No wonder she’d claimed not to know of the place, yet was so certain there were no decent Adventurers there.’

The thought amused Hesia. Feeling like he had just gained some leverage, he looked at Annis.

"Miss Annis, regarding that place Mr. Odin just mentioned... I find that my memory isn’t always the best."

Annis looked up and glared at him, huffing, "I was just passing through there! It’s normal that I wouldn’t know about it!"

Hesia knew it was just an excuse.

"I think," he said, "that if I were to hold on to that deposit Odin left behind... perhaps I could completely forget what I just heard."

Hearing this, Annis looked like steam was about to come out of her ears!

She bit her lip and stomped her foot in anger. After a moment’s thought, she reluctantly squeezed a single word from between her teeth: "Deal."

Hesia nodded in satisfaction and lightly patted Bruce on the back.

The old pal understood immediately, leaping from the carriage. He dashed over, snatched the heavy Money Bag in his mouth, and quickly returned.

"Yah!"

The coachman, Fred, raised his whip, and the magnificent steed, Dark Night, began to pull the carriage along their route once more.

Annis puffed out her cheeks, turned to look out the window, and remained silent for the rest of the journey.

It was hard to tell if she was fuming with embarrassment from having her little lie exposed, or grinding her teeth in anger at Hesia for "extorting" her.

After more than an hour, Hesia figured the tense atmosphere wasn’t going to resolve itself. He picked up the Money Bag, weighed it in his hand, and untied the drawstring.

He poured the coins onto the soft carpet, and the gleam of Silver Scales flickered inside the carriage.

’...forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty.’

’Fifty Silver Scales.’ Hesia calculated, ’Looks like Annis’s price for hiring that oaf Odin was also one Golden Shield, and she paid half upfront as a deposit.’

’I wonder what Miss Annis’s family does for a living? How can she be so wealthy?’

’A normal escort mission, even to a dangerous area like the edge of the Gray Mist Forest, wouldn’t pay this much, would it?’

’Especially since Odin was obviously just a slightly stronger-than-average commoner...’

He gathered up the Silver Scales, weighed the Money Bag in his hand, and couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

’It seems that no matter where you go, it’s always the frauds who make the most money.’