Chapter 20
The mercenary women always carried guns and knives, and unless you wanted to become a beehive, you couldn’t try anything stupid.
But Yohan was an opponent she could never win against no matter what she did. Guns or knives couldn’t solve it so simply. That might be why she was more wary of him.
Then it was indeed wise to leave the mechanical arm problem to J and not bother meeting that man.
“Thanks for the help.”
“The world’s getting better, but it hasn’t changed for women yet.”
“I know.”
“Do you really know?”
“One last thing—please look into this for me.”
“What now? You said just one question.”
J took the business card she held out. It was a business card with a steel company’s name on it. It included the elaborate noble titles typical of Lamarian.
“I’m curious if they’re trustworthy people.”
“These are titles that bourgeois people buy and sell with money. Real ones don’t write it this way. Like Padwin—just mentioning the family name is enough. But if you’re curious, I’ll look into it.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you again soon.”
Priscilla turned around as if busy. Her light, graceful steps were noticeably different from when she’d entered.
The woman who burst open the shop door and went out into the alley looked up at the sky.
After deciding she didn’t need to meet Yohan, her heart felt much lighter. Even the sky seemed clearer for no reason.
I hate that man! I’ve hated him since we first met! Even when I want to think well of him, he’s still suspicious! He’s not like a person!
If he wants repayment for saving my life, let him come find me. I’ll pay any amount of money. I’ll just clear the debt and cleanly stop acknowledging each other!
Seeing how refreshed she felt, she definitely hadn’t wanted to meet him again.
For whatever reason, if she forced herself to become friendly with him, she couldn’t predict the mental anguish.
However, after stopping by the general store and even ordering a silver mirror, she’d spent almost all the bounty money.
Looking down at her empty wallet, Priscilla quickly canceled the thought of giving Yohan any amount of money. She only fervently hoped he wouldn’t come demanding payment for saving her life.
How can such a large sum disappear so quickly?! That huge amount of money. It doesn’t make sense!
Wondering if she’d been pickpocketed in the meantime, she calculated the amount of money she’d spent once more and scraped through not just her wallet but the bottom of her bag, but the result was the same. After the fierce spending spree, only some bills and coins remained.
Priscilla had never properly spent money before. In the mercenary company, she’d never needed large sums, and necessary items could be bought with permission or obtained as war spoils from battlefields.
The lump sum she’d brought from the mercenary company was saved as a last resort to fix her arm, but anxiety struck that at this rate, she might spend even that.
My sense of money is getting weird.
She was scolding herself like this when trying to cross the Milin River. A newspaper boy on a bicycle passed by, waving newspapers.
An afternoon edition hot off the press. Priscilla couldn’t resist the small merchant who fluttered around with a sensational headline about serial killer Wellington being found as a burned corpse.
In the end, she spent one more coin.
Wellington and his subordinates burned to death!
‘Internal betrayal targeting the high bounty? A wizard’s doing? Police revealed that the vigilante group collected the bounty, but vigilante leader Veros denies it. There appears to be confusion at the scene. Some forensic experts’ opinion that Wellington might have committed suicide has led to criticism that police are making false announcements to cover their incompetence…’
‘The head will be hung on the square execution platform for a week, and photography is prohibited. Beware of fines.’
‘The missing Chesire couple’s daughter was found dead. Police stated they believe Wellington kidnapped multiple women to test new hallucinogens and will actively search for missing persons. The funeral will be at the public cemetery in Novas Park…’
Reading the newspaper with a bitter feeling, Priscilla’s eyes finally stopped on photos of new wanted criminals.
Her blue eyes input the criminals’ faces into her mind faster than anyone.
Since things came to this, just one more person…
She’d gotten a little angry while reading articles about victims, and she happened to be out of money too.
A dangerous desire for combat briefly stirred in her chest.
But going out into the night streets again after experiencing that incident was foolish even by her own standards. She didn’t immediately need a large sum of money, and having a gun didn’t suddenly make her body invincible. Most importantly, she wasn’t something like a vigilante group protecting the city.
Priscilla folded the newspaper and silently crossed the bridge.
The vigilante group happened to be approaching the river to patrol from Arancel’s outskirts. Veros on horseback spotted the silver-haired woman and couldn’t take his eyes off her. His mouth twitched as if he had something to say.
Hey, were you the one who used the vigilante group’s name to collect bounty money from police yesterday?! I’ve been bothered by reporters since morning because of you!
He was about to ask that, but seemed to stop out of awareness of the surrounding gazes.
Priscilla also didn’t say anything to the man who’d ditched her. Instead, she looked up at Veros and stuck out her tongue slightly. As if she’d won. Then she walked past the dumbfounded vigilante leader, leisurely quickening her pace.
At that moment, Veros was certain she’d gotten her hands on Wellington’s high bounty.
But how had she done it? Looking down from horseback in broad daylight, wasn’t she just a sparkling pretty girl?
“What an immature wench. Should we grab her and teach her a lesson?” When a subordinate asked this, Veros shook his head. Anyway, he felt like he’d see that strange woman again soon. You could tell just from her expression full of hostility. There was no reflection, resignation, or fear in those eyes.
Moreover, if wild horses like that continued rampaging, criminal groups like Hill would inevitably make moves to respond. If she conveniently jumped out where she could be easily caught, it would be convenient for Veros. He wondered how long that foolish hunter would stay alive.
Some time later, the new factory owners visited. Priscilla confirmed that the new factory owners had really taken ownership of the factory, and through J she also learned that the original factory owner had been to Arancel. Undeniably, Mr. Genuor had abandoned the factory and left. She heard he’d left only traces of buying dawn train tickets almost as if fleeing. Everything was a mystery.
While Miriam negotiated with the factory owners, she kept the employees and Priscilla from leaving the dormitory. They all gathered in the kitchen. Now it was time for the employees to know the factory had been taken over.
“What happens to us now?”
“Stupid, you’re grown up now so you should think for yourself.”
“I’m only twelve. I’m not grown up.”
“That’s grown up enough.”
Children couldn’t live not knowing anything forever. Unlike the silent adults, the children were busy discussing what they’d do for a living. At first they talked about chimney sweeping, then mining, then airship pilots.
“To load lots of bombs on an airship, very light people have to ride.”
“But you might not be able to come down.”
“I heard they pay a lot if you succeed?”
“Hey, who’s going to hire you? You can’t even study.”
Unable to stand the increasingly absurd stories, Priscilla spoke to the children clustered around the dining table.
“Kids, we hired a lawyer. Nothing will happen.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t you know? It’s someone who takes our side.”
“Hey! Why are you being difficult since earlier!”
Then, perhaps having the opposite effect, the children started punching and fighting.
Everyone was too distressed to think about stopping them. Priscilla also gave up and leaned back deeply in her dining chair. It seemed better to let her mind go to the children’s voices.
In the midst of this, the mirror she’d ordered a few days ago arrived. The general store merchant had kindly delivered it personally. He testified that the factory had been completely empty, Miriam had sent him to the dormitory, and she’d been having a long conversation with someone. When asked about the atmosphere, he said Miriam’s expression hadn’t been bad. The adults, whose fear had subsided, sighed limply.
The children were more innocent than them. At the mention of a magic mirror, the children who’d been busy fighting swarmed around the merchant. Like following a flute’s sound, they went up to the second floor and peeked into Priscilla’s narrow room.
