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Does it—why are you even asking me? It’s your damn career.

“I’m fine with it. If anything, I’m happy you betrayed them for me, but…are you okay with it? Maybe they will actually fire you instead, you know?”
“My deepest apologies. It got to my head when they started insulting you, Lady Tilea. I shoulda prioritize my mission to raise my rank within the guild. Please forgive my short-minded self.”
“No, no. Don’t apologize. Thank you.”

That guy Myuu, he’s got such a big heart. He doesn’t care about his own career if it’s for the sake of his friends. Normally, in situations like this, there are people who act ruthlessly, saying things like “work and personal life are separate” and even betraying their friends.

But Myuu is different. He’s a considerate and kind-hearted guy. Ahh, it’s quite moving, to be honest.

“Mühen, I see you’re acquainted with this girl. You’ve been moved by her!”
“Hah, what a fool. A man who cares about women and children can’t strive to be first-rate.”
“Even the so-called Demon Warrior swoons before a woman.”

These mercenaries around him sure speak as they please.

Haah, you guys can’t understand how great Myuu is, huh? Being all cold-blooded is not what being a pro is. There’s gotta be a hint of kindness in it.

Well, let them taste it. Let them taste true strength.

“Myuu, how long do you need to defeat them?”
“Phah. Lady Tilea, I don’t need a minute.”

Kyaah~ Hug me! Is not what I’m going to say to you, so don’t expect it.

Myuu exercised his gallant skills. How dependable! Oh no, what do I do? If Myuu comes at me…okay, this routine is getting old.

Wh-, what a demon warrior. I mean, right when you think he’s just unleashed a strike, his sword is already striking again.

In fact, now I’m feeling bad for our enemies. They’re swatted like flies. I mean, they can’t be weak either. They were Bowzen’s trump card, after all.

But, you know, they faced the wrong person.

And just as he declared. Myuu destroyed the enemy in less than a minute. Edim didn’t have a chance to show off. It was his own stage.

Piles and piles of corpses. And Bowzen was left behind all alone.

“So, what will you do now? Call for reinforcements again? Well, it doesn’t matter how many reinforcements you have.”
“Ho ho ho, brilliant, brilliant! That’s the last crystal I had so there’s no more reinforcements for me.”
“Then you’re screwed. You’ve done a lot of bad things. Time to pay for your sins.”
“Screwed? Pay for my sins? Ho ho ho ho ho, funny what you say there.”
“Don’t bluff. You have no chance.”
“You sure about that, lass?”

He really is cornered, there’s no other way to see it. And yet Bowzen never lost his smirk. Wait, could it be that he’s a fighter himself, like that Fiend?

Hm~m, but he doesn’t look strong at all. I’m sure I could beat him myself. His belly is big too, definitely not a warrior type. Then, magicky type?

I mean, even if he is a fatty who can run, it’s still doesn’t help him anyway. I have Myuu and Edim with me. The strongest team.

I don’t know what you have up your sleeve, but what now? Huh? Bowzen?

“Ho ho ho. What excellent fighters! Mühen, of course, but you too, Edim, wasn’t it? I’m honestly amazed!”
“You think you can bluff your way out—”
“Now then, let bygones be bygones. How would you like to be my personal bodyguard?”
“Wh-, what are you talking about? Are you stupid? So your hidden weapon is just a bribe? That’s idiotic.”
“What’s idiotic about bribes?!”
“Now look. A money-worshipper like you wouldn’t understand it, we have a bond that money can’t buy.”
“Hah. If you ask me, it’s even more outrageous that you think it’s okay to make people act for free while appealing to friendship and bonds and whatnot.”
“Wh-, wha, wha…”
“I see you really don’t pay these two. As a mistress of a wealthy man, you sure clench your wallet tight. Or what, are you hooking them with your body?”
“Wha?! Mistress? Hooking? Of course not!”
“So you are just exploiting them then! Now you listen. You just told those two to fight for your life, without even compensating them. Hah, shameless.”

F̲u̲c̲k̲! Why is there a part of myself that thinks that this b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲ has a point?

Okay, fine, I’ll pay too…wait, no, that doesn’t feel right. It’s rude to have an exchange of money in a friendship. But, on the other hand, I do feel that he’s right that just words of thanks alone don’t feel enough.

What should I do? He’s still trying to bribe his way out. Both Myuu and Edim seem to be furious at his words. Of course. Money can’t break the bond between us.

Both of them keep asking me “can I kill him?” time and time again. But I stop them.

I mean, you know. I still haven’t decided how to repay them for defeating him. Words alone won’t do, but giving them money doesn’t seem right either.

“Haah, haah, haah, why? Why do you want to work for that lass? How about 10 million gold? I’ll double that depending on the performance!”

Ooh, 10 million gold?!

Not many adventurers earn more than 10 million gold a year, and yet neither of them took notice of Bowzen’s words.

It was as if they thought 10 million gold was not more than a mere 100 gold. Or, rather, they are so ironclad in their determination that no matter how much money he piles up, they won’t accept it no matter what.

What a noble pair they are!

“If so, then 100 million gold. I’ll pay you 100 million gold right away if you kill that lass.”

Wh-, wh-, wha, 100 million gold he said?!

He’d go that far?! I don’t want to lose to him.

“I can do that too. If you kill him, I’ll give you, uh… a handmade pendant!”
“A handmade pendant? What a moron! Compared to your cheap thing, my noble—”
“SILENCE—!!”
“Eek!”

Edim suddenly yells out, scaring Bowzen out of his skin. I also jumped a little.

Eh? Is she mad since my offer is so small?

I mean, you know, I have an excuse. Since I can’t pay them, I thought that a handmade gift would be nice. It’s something that has a shape, after all.

But maybe I was being too cheap, when I made them put their lives on the line and all.

“Y-, you know, Edim, there’s a reason…”
“Lady Tilea. Is-, is it going to be the same pendant that you gave to Lady Camilla before?”
“Yeah, I was thinking of making a matching one for you and Timu…sorry, you don’t want it, do you?”
“N-, no, by all means, I do! I want it no matter what!”

Huh? Edim’s eyes changed color. When Bowzen was trying to bribe her, she looked like a monk without a shred of greed.

Now she’s like the personification of greed itself.

“Lady Tilea. Will you also give me a pendant if I’m the one who slayed him?”
“No, I was going to give you a handmade sword, Myuu…”
“Hohoho. A poorly made for sure, if you ask me, I can give you any famous sword in the—”
“SHUT YER TRAP—!!”
“Eek!”

It’s Myuu who shouts loudly this time, scaring Bowzen to hell and back. I was startled as well.

I wonder why. Maybe he’s mad because I, an amateur, would make him the sword? Myuu is a warrior, and so maybe it’s not a place for an amateur to barge into his passion?

“Y-, you know, Myuu, there’s a reason…”
“Lady Tilea. Is-, is the sword going to be made with Evil God Metal…?”
“Yeah, it is. I was thinking of creating the base material myself. Well, I’m sure you don’t want a sword made by an amateur like me, right?”
“N-, no, by all means, I want it! I’ll do all you wish to get it!”

Huuhh?? Now Myuu also makes the same greedy face.

What is happening?

Now it’s Edim and Myuu who are glaring at each other. Where did that sense of competition come from? They were such good friends before.

Did I say something wrong?