10 – Justice for free? There’s no such thing
In Cossus the first thing I had to do was find an inn, as I arrived at a rather late hour. Luckily for me, not many adventurers dropped by here, so there were enough empty rooms, only one double room was booked.
“A single room please.”
“Eh, ah, yes. Ex- Excuse me… Are you… an adventurer?”
“…Yes.”
“I… see.”
“…?”
Hmm? What’s up with this guy? He’s giving me the feeling that I won’t be welcomed here. The inn keeper treated me anxiously. At first I thought he was obsessed with my boobs like most people are. I did get my room but… for some reason, I felt gazes on me. And from all directions at that. It was an atmosphere like I was an uninvited guest. Maybe this village didn’t welcome outsiders.
But I couldn't care less. I'll just go and mind my own business. No point worrying over small stuff.
“Hey, Miss.”
It was a boy around the age of seven. I didn't like his attitude.
“What‘s up, shorty?”
“Don’t call me shorty!”
“Pfff. You need something, kid?”
“Miss, you’re an adventurer, right? Why did you come here?”
“I have no obligation to answer that. Leave me alone.”
“H- Hey, wait!”
Ignore, ignore.
“I told you to wait!”
Turn a blind eye.
“Hey, miss! Listen to me!”
Just the wind.
“Hey… Please… don’t ignore me.”
His voice gradually started to tremble. He must have gotten sad from being ignored.
“What do you want?”
“Sh- Sheesh, you’re such a meanie! All adventurer are like that!”
“I’m me. Don’t lump me together with others, it’s discomforting. So, what’s up? I’m busy trying to search for something.”
“Eh? What are you looking for?”
“It’s got nothing to do with you, brat.”
I’m really not good with kids. Honestly children are a pain to deal with. I never had the patience and even back in Japan I didn’t like dealing with brats. I know I was once young too, but I had discipline and respect drilled into me. A thing kids these days lack.
Anyway, the reason why everyone gave me cold stares was because certain adventurers lately dropped by the village, barged into the general store and forcefully haggled products, doing whatever they wanted.
“It was a group of two and they falsely charged the inn to get to stay for free.”
“Why didn’t you refuse? You could’ve chased them out with all the villagers.”
“We can’t do that.”
It wasn’t the boy who replied.
“Ah, Uncle Shamus!”
The man called Shamus looked like in his late 30s. In reality he might be younger, but his gloomy expression made him look older.
“And you are?”
“You seem to be an adventurer. My name is Shamus. I run a humble shop.”
“Is it true what the brat said?”
“Yes, it is. They are currently picking at the general store.”
“…You said you can’t chase them out. What do you mean?”
“For some reason, they got the title deed of the village.”
“Huh? Why would they have that? Doesn’t the village chief usually keep it?”
“Yes, but the title deed was suddenly gone from the village chief’s house…”
In other words, it was stolen. But once again, this isn’t my business. So I couldn’t care less.
*CRAAACK!*
Suddenly the sound of wood breaking resounded. Everyone present faced the origin of the sound taken aback. The door of a house burst open and someone was thrown out.
“Sam!”
The man that was thrown in was called Sam, a chubby middle aged man. This guy was beaten up pretty bad. You don't need to be a genius to figure out what's happening here.
“Shamus… ugh, they're back again…”
Shamus took a glance towards me. I can already guess what he wants to say.
“No idea what you want, but this doesn’t concern me.”
“Wha! And you still call yourself human!?” (Boy)
“Technically I’m not a human anymore.”
“Why aren’t you helping? As a fellow adventurer, you have to stop them!”
“…Listen, brat, I may be an adventurer, but I ain’t some advocate of justice. Ask the Heroes if you want justice for free.”
“Forget it! In the end, all adventurers are like this!”
Saying so, the boy went straight outside. Like a raging bull. He was probably aiming for those adventurers.
“Ah, wait, Kyle! Don’t go there!”
Shamus tried to stop him, but the boy ran with all his might. Then Shamus glared at me while grinding his teeth.
“I get it. This has nothing to do with you. A Hero that works for people without charge like from fairytales does not exist. So it just… has to be paid?”
“…..”
“In that case, I will give you my finest weapon when you help us.”
“…..”
“Will you help us?”
“…..”
It’s something I don’t want to deal with. However, the finest weapon was appealing. Just taking care of this scum for it was rather cheap. And since I came here for a weapon to begin with…
“Fine. I’ll lend a hand. But keep your promise.”
Shamus’s face instantly brightened up, but turned gloomy again.
“I, I know I asked you, but… are you strong?”
At those words the air became cold. I didn’t give a reply, but I could sense that once I showed my back, Shamus was scared. Not at the adventurers. He was now scared of me.
.
.
.
Kyle picked up a pebble from the ground and threw it at a spiky haired ruffian. It landed straight in his face. Although the kid was happy about it, the villagers were shocked by his behavior mostly because they already know the temper of these adventurers. Spiky’s expression spoke volumes: This brat is as good as dead.
“Brat, any last words?”
“D- Don‘t…”
Spiky smiled happily and raised his sword into the air, then swung it down from there.
*WHOOOSH!*
The villagers that were witnesses were sure that the kid was a goner.
“OWWWW!”
The one screaming in pain and bleeding was Spiky. Something was pierced into his sword arm. Nobody could comprehend what happened. It wasn’t a knife or any type of blade. What pierced his arm was… an ice stake.
He dropped his sword from the intense pain and his arm trembled. A great deal of sweat was accumulating on his face.
“Stand back, brat.”
“M- Miss… Wh- Why?”
“I get paid, so I’ll lend a hand.”