4
"These gaiters are indeed the thing I've been looking for. Seeing as they've been passed down in your family, I take it you're aware just what kind of objects they are then."
<TLN: Changed to gaiters.>
"Eh? Aren't they just things you wrap around your legs for protection. Although having these on me makes me feel like our ancestors are here to protect me, they make me braver."
"So you've no clue on the worth of these gaiters?"
"Worth, is it. They're something a bandit gang who killed our father and robbed him of everything he had even left behind. They have no worth to anyone besides me and my little sister."
"Those who have these gaiters on them can teleport 20 steps ahead by reciting a spell."
"Eh. Is that really true?"
"It is. But it's only usable three times a day."
"Eh? That's it. What is being able to move 20 steps ahead thrice a day even good for?"
"Forgot to mention it's unhindered by obstacles."
"So you're saying it can go over walls. Well I guess it's useful in a way. Like when you're breaking in a house as a burglar."
"It will give you a huge advantage over your opponents in battle."
"Eh? Ah, I see. So you can get in your opponent's range instantly. But, aren't 20 steps kind of half baked?"
"That depends on usage."
"Ah, right you might also use it when you've been taken captive."
"I'm an adventurer by name Lecan. I'd like to procure these gaiters. Will you hand them over. Of course, I'll pay. Name your price."
"Hahaha. Name my price huh, that's such a generous offer. Tell that to a merchant and they might just ask you one platinum coin, you know."
Lecan took a platinum coin, put it in his palm and offered it.
"No, way. No, it really is a platinum coin. You must be an extraordinarily adept adventurer. I can't believe you'd just give away one platinum coin for these worn out gaiters though. Is that how much they are worth to you? No, that can't be. But, maybe."
"Those gaiters are treasure from where I stand. If one platinum coin won't do, I'd pay two, three more."
"This doesn't seem to be a trap, is it. I mean we're in the middle of nowhere, you could have cut me and my little sister down here and now, and none would be the wiser. You have the strength to accomplish that, and you don't seem to be against killing humans. And yet you won't attempt to snatch these gaiters off me, and even offered a platinum coin."
The youngster looked down and got lost in thought.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
"Lecan-san. I'm a merchant at Town of Chada, Rintos. The one behind me is my little sister, Maina."
Maina bowed behind Rintos. Lecan greeted back with his eye.
"Lecan-san. I don't want money. But in exchange, will you offer us your help?"
"Help, in what."
"I would like to exact revenge on behalf of our late father. I wish an adept adventurer like you to lend us a hand. These gaiters shall be yours in exchange."
"Hou, revenge huh. Leave it to me. But wait. The bandit with the cut arm has come to. Should we interrogate him?"
"Interrogate? No."
"Yeah? <Flame Spear>."
Lecan finished off the groaning bandit.
"How merciless. I see. You are a staunch adventurer indeed. We don't have to go to town of Chada if we have Lecan-san's cooperation. Let's go back to Rotor. Is that all right with you?"
"Of course."
"Maina, no objection right?"
"Yes, Niisan."
The three turned around and camped that night.
After breakfast, Lecan listened to their circumstances.
Chada is a town along the dungeon highways that connect Wado and Royal Capital in the marquisdom, it's got a bustling commercial scene.
Rintos and Maina's father was the president of Septema Firm. Septema was among the biggest five firms in Chada at one time, but the firm collapsed after losing all of its fortune 12 years ago.
For the wedding ceremony of Earl Wado's son, Septema Firm received an order to deliver many valuable objects there, but they got raided by a bandit gang on their way to Wado, losing everything in the process, the bandits left no one, not the escorts nor employees alive.
Their father, Muzz was also one among the casualties.
The order hadn't been paid fully, so the firm had to sell off all of its fortune to pay off the rest and settlements. Normally, Marquis Wado would have asked for a huge amount of indemnity, but a messenger sent by the marquis only delivered his condolence letter and sympathy money, with no mention of indemnity.
The majority of the remaining employees went to other firms. Either way, Septema simply didn't have the capital to continue hiring them. Nevertheless, some of the loyal employees would remain to look after Muzz's orphans, Rintos and Maina, while doing some odd jobs on the sides. Their mother passed away during her struggle to keep the firm afloat.
After her passing, someone would come forward to aid Rintos and Maina. Ceras of Mace Firm, a firm that was as big as Septema during its heydays. As Muzz apprenticed at Mace Firm during his younger days, Ceras who's a heir to Mace Firm was an old friend of him.
Ceras encouraged Rintos and Maina to join Mace Firm. Along with the remaining employees. He even said he would someday left the firm to them once they have learned enough mercantile experience at the company.
"I don't get it. Why didn't he help you when your mother was still alive then."
"He did offer his aid many times, but mother would keep declining them."
"What? Fumu. Considering that, there might some sort of bad blood between that Ceras guy and your father."
"That's where I'm not sure of. According to our remaining employees, Septema Firm had some business dealings with Mace Firm in the past, and they couldn't think of any particular discords."
"Hmph. So what does this revenge entail."
"Yes well. We told Ceras-san that we feel very grateful to his kindness but our wish is to restore Septema Firm. Ceras-san would keep telling us to give up the ill-fated Septema Firm and start anew at Mace Firm, but we declined him. He also offered to shoulder our living expenses, but that too we declined. Taking that up would mean owing a debt. We wouldn't be on equal standings during negotiations."
(Hou. This guy's got backbone.)
(Even after falling to the deep end, he still wants to see him on equal grounds huh.)
"Lately, Ceras-san has made concessions. After apprenticing for some years, we would be given a new shop without Mace Firm's intervention, and that we could call it Septema Firm. The remaining employees may work under the new Septema Firm too, he said."
"Hou."
"That would still mean owing him a debt, but we cannot keep ignoring such persistent goodwill forever either. And right when I was thinking of accepting that offer, Ceras-san said this. 'You just might find your object of vengeance'."
Posts
