“Got it, I understand the situation.”

A woman tipped her glass with a sultry gesture, licking the white trace left on her thin lips.

Elsa, as she introduced herself, had an alluring manner that kept Natsuki Subaru on edge as he explained the situation, catching her frequent sidelong glances the whole time.

“So, it’s a negotiation to raise the price. I don’t particularly care who ends up with the badge; I’ll just sell it at a higher price.”

“You have a good personality; I don’t dislike it. So, how much did that brother of yours offer?”

Ten Holy Gold Coins—that was the amount presented from over there.

Of course, they assumed they had offered more, so Subaru decided that showing any hesitation would be a minus in this situation and activated his phone’s camera function for the third time. The flash cut through the darkness, capturing Elsa’s image on the screen.

Though Elsa slightly furrowed her brow at Subaru’s actions, she didn’t react much further.

Showing her the phone screen, he declared,

“What I’m offering is this magical artifact. It’s probably a one-of-a-kind rare item in the world. According to that muscle-bound old man over there, it’s got to be worth at least twenty Holy Gold Coins.”

“A magical artifact…”

Watching her own image in the screen, Elsa nodded in understanding, seemingly grasping that Subaru’s method of barter was no bluff. She took out a small leather pouch from her pocket—probably where her reward of Holy Gold Coins was kept.

She placed it on the table. The sound of metal clinking resonated heavily as the coins touched one another through the pouch.

Felt’s pupils narrowed like a cat’s, and Old Man Rom chided her. Meanwhile, Subaru waited for their reaction, while Elsa entwined her delicate fingers on the table.

“Actually, I’ve also been given a little extra cash from my employer. If you hesitate, I might consider adding a bit more to sweeten the deal.”

“Employer… so, does that mean you were only asked to receive the badge like Felt?”

“That’s right. The one wanting it is my employer… Are you perhaps in the same business?”

Subaru wanting the badge in exchange for the magical artifact seemed to spark Elsa’s curiosity.

Even if asked if she was in the same business, it was hard to discern what exactly Elsa did for a living.

Since she was asked to pick it up, she might be akin to a delivery person. In any case,

“If you mean we’re in the same business, then that makes us both unemployed!”

“Now that unemployed guy put out an outrageous offer. How much do you think your master can come up with?”

Elsa stayed silent as she opened the top of her pouch in response to Felt’s teasing words.

What came pouring out of the upside-down leather pouch was a dazzling silver that radiated from the Holy Gold Coins.

As the metal clinked together, Felt’s eyes sparkled, and even Old Man Rom let out a slight chuckle. Meanwhile, Subaru was more focused on counting the number than admiring their shine.

If he wasn’t mistaken, then—

“Twenty coins, exactly.”

“The Holy Gold Coins I received from my employer are all of them. It seems they thought that was enough to settle this, but… think it’s going to be a bit tight?”

The question was directed at Old Man Rom, who, after counting the coins, looked down with a concerned expression at the visibly anxious Subaru.

“Don’t make that face like a child. It’s disgraceful for a man. …Indeed, twenty Holy Gold Coins is an outrageous reward. But I believe I said that it should be no less than twenty Holy Gold Coins.”

A large, rough hand ruffled Subaru’s short black hair roughly.

Still feeling the effects of his previous intoxication, Subaru swayed unsteadily, but

“In my estimation, this negotiation favors Subaru. I hate to say it to you two, but you’re taking those coins back into the pouch and leaving.”

In response to Old Man Rom’s words, pushing the Holy Gold Coins back to Subaru, the worst mood suddenly peaked.

Felt threw her hands up, agreeing with the decision, and even Elsa shrugged her shoulders, showing little sign of disappointment. Subaru involuntarily jumped up in a victory pose, a little out of place.

“What the heck! It’s fine, isn’t it? I was happy! This is, in a way, my first goal accomplished here! It’s okay to do a victory pose, right!?”

“You’re celebrating way too much over nothing, brother. I’m just here to make a profit.”

“My employer wouldn’t mind if I don’t have those coins in hand either, so it’s not necessary to be that stubborn.”

Against Felt, who was teasing Subaru as he turned red, Elsa stood up and responded with little attachment.

Though she hadn’t expected winning phrases for the negotiation defeat, she also didn’t seem affected by the failure, which bothered Subaru a bit.

“Ah, sorry, Elsa. You’re probably going to get scolded or something, right?”

“It can’t be helped. Unless I had made a mistake, in this case, it’s my employer trying to keep the costs low that’s to blame.”

“Twenty Holy Gold Coins isn’t exactly little. I can’t really respect that.”

“Well, I guess my luck was just too good! Is it finally my time to shine?”

Contrasting the sympathetic men toward Elsa, Felt was dramatically oblivious to the atmosphere.

In any case, it seems the negotiation that had worried Subaru was now settled.

This also could mean a step toward a favor for Subaru’s savior, Satella, in this world.

Originally, he should probably tell Satella about felt, who stole the badge, and Elsa, who was entrusted with the task. However, the actual damage only afflicted Satella’s mental state and Subaru’s phone.

Having spoken only a bit to them, Subaru didn’t possess the robust spirit required to throw them in jail.

This was the epitome of opportunism.

“Well then, though the negotiation had a disappointing outcome, I will take my leave now.”

Everyone saw Elsa off as she stood up.

Finishing the remaining milk, she licked it off with her sensual tongue, and as if suddenly reminded, fixed her gaze on Subaru.

Those black eyes constricted within Subaru’s chest.

“Speaking of which, what do you plan to do after obtaining that badge?”

It was a low, emotionally frozen inquiry.

That tone sweetly threatened Subaru’s eardrums and rang in his ears like a command forbidding lies.

“…Ah, I’ll return it to its original owner.”

Just after saying that, Subaru realized his glaring slip of the tongue.

He had declared in front of both the girl who stole and the person who commissioned the theft that he would return what was stolen to the one who had it taken.

That was nearly a declaration of hostilities as well, and

“—So you’re involved, huh?”

—Was enough to resurrect Elsa’s cold murderous intent.

“Ugh—!?”

A sudden jolt from the side.

The impact to his waist caused Subaru to slide sideways, and without the chance to take a bracing position, he rolled clumsily to the ground.

In pain and shock, while his vision spun around, he hastily slammed his hands on the ground and lifted his face to see Felt clinging to his waist.

“What the—”

“Are you stupid!? Dodge, are you trying to die!?”

Her berating words were drowned out by a louder roar.

Surprised, Subaru lowered himself and saw Elsa standing there, looking over at him.

“Oh my, you dodged that, huh?”

With a bewildered expression, Elsa tilted her head.

In her hand was an out-of-place weapon glimmering dull in the light.

—Could this be what Subaru knew as a kukri knife?

The blade was nearly thirty centimeters long, bent at a curve, a type of sword known as a recurved blade. He had heard it was a weapon meant to cut through prey like an axe, using the weight at the tip.

Wielding that blade, Elsa wore the same smile as before.

From her stance, it seemed the blade had swung down once already. If so, it was Felt who jumped in to protect Subaru during that deadly arc.

In that instant, the realization of how his life had depended on a conflict beyond his consciousness sent a delayed rush of fear through Subaru’s mind.

The alarm bells were ringing, and his heart raced, pumping blood like a galloping horse. Listening to the pounding that made his whole body feel like a heartbeat, Subaru couldn’t stop the trembling in his supporting arms.

While Subaru wallowed in his own pitiful state, the situation still moved forward.

“Oooooooh—!!”

With a battle cry, Old Man Rom lunged at Elsa, wielding the club he hadn’t let go of during negotiations.

He swung the spiked weapon, aiming to smash in Elsa’s skull.

The speed of the descending club was anything but normal.

Wielding a blunt weapon that was certainly no less than ten kilos, it was indeed a feat brought about by the strength of a giant.

The club struck the ground of the storeroom, shaking the entire building in what felt like an illusion.

The splintering wood and scattered stolen items blew away in the aftermath, and an unthinkable battle seemed to begin right before a crouched Subaru.

“This is my first time fighting a giant.”

“Shut it, little girl. I’ll grind you into meat and feed you to the big rat!”

Old Man Rom’s sideways swing bore the confirmed devastating power he had declared.

With that weapon, enhanced by speed and strength, any half-hearted defense would be like using paper shields. In a cramped indoor space where both escape routes were blocked, just being struck by that club would be a deadly threat.

However, on the opposing side, Elsa’s skill also lay in the realm of the extraordinary.

Swinging the kukri knife she held in one hand, she smoothly darted around within the deadly gale.

Before a weapon that would ensure a brutal death upon collateral, she dodged with an almost paper-thin margin, weaving around the blows aimed at Old Man Rom.

This was bad, Subaru instinctively thought.

If this continued, something disastrous was bound to happen.

“This is bad…”

“Don’t worry. Old Man Rom can’t possibly lose! Since I was born, I’ve never seen him lose a fight!”

While Subaru could only tremble his lips out of anxiety, Felt shouted with an intensity that seemed to cheer herself on.

There was an undeniable trust built over years of accumulated time behind her words.

Despite exchanging light banter, the respect they had for each other had obviously formed from that not-so-short time spent together.

But unlike her confidence, Subaru felt pessimistic.

This was not the “fight” that she had seen before. It was a “fight to the death.”

“—Take this!”

Before Subaru’s fears could materialize, the battle’s tide transformed.

Old Man Rom roared and kicked the table. The wooden table that had just been the scene of negotiation shattered into pieces, scattering wood shavings and enveloping the area in front of Elsa.

A curtain made of shattered lumber.

Toward that side, Old Man Rom’s club was swung down with all his might.

The strike strong enough to crush an automobile was aimed directly, but

“—Old Man Rom!”

Felt’s anguished scream erupted from her throat.

And Subaru witnessed the consequence of that cry.

With a spinning motion, Old Man Rom’s right arm, still clutching the club, was sent flying.

That thick, powerful arm was severed at the shoulder, soaring through the air and splattering blood against the wall.

Subaru and Felt were drenched, showered in the rain of crimson pouring down the room. But there was no time to focus on the fresh blood.

“Let it be a trade-off at least—”

With his right arm severed from the shoulder, Old Man Rom bled profusely like a hose gushing water.

He hurled his massive body forward, attempting to aim his remaining arm at Elsa without even trying to stop the bleeding.

The shattered table fell to the floor, revealing Elsa in the posture of having just swung the blade.

Before the kukri’s edge could flutter, it would be faster for Old Man Rom’s giant body to crush her slender form.

Such a fleeting, life-threatening cry from Old Man Rom was cut off by the flash of a shattered glass held in Elsa’s opposite hand.

 

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