Volume 5 Chapter 16 It's Intimidating, But...
――A little while after the commotion at the street stalls...
Since it would be too conspicuous to stay in that place, we decided to move to a nearby restaurant.
Reed is with us as well.
After placing our orders with the waiter, I reluctantly ask Reed for more information.
"Well, about 40% of it was a joke when I said I was after Kyunei-chan."
"But still, 60% of it was serious..."
I was at a loss on how to respond to Reed's nonchalant remarks. While thinking that I probably didn't need to hear the conversation after all, I look over at Aina, who is nodding with a wry smile.
"Hey, why do you have such a cute girl with you and still call Kyunei-chan your lover? And not to mention Silver Flash as well? If you were a badass mercenary like me, I would understand, but why?"
"Even I sometimes wonder about that."
"Just give me one of them. Specifically, Kyunei-chan."
"I'll kill you, you bastard!?"
"W-wait, please calm down!"
Aina hurriedly stopped me as I tried to grab Gram and stand up, while Reed remained calm. Frustrated, I clicked my tongue and reluctantly sat back in my chair. Talking to this person called Reed always throws me off. It's so strange how I get so easily worked up.
'When it comes to you, partner, you usually start off gently with hits or kicks, so it's not great to explode right from the beginning like that. Or maybe it's because you two just get along too well?'
Even if I have good compatibility with someone who's targeting another person's lover, it's not a good thing at all.
"Thank you for helping me earlier, Reed-san."
"Oh, it feels good to have a pretty girl thank me. And your chest is big, just my type. How about switching over to me――"
"Save that nonsense for when you're dead."
"Oh, um, sorry about that."
Aina was smiling brightly, but Reed suddenly restrained his enthusiasm and apologized seriously. For a moment, I felt an unusual sense of intimidation coming from behind Aina, but it was probably just my imagination.
"Well, there was also the other day. It's not like I was only interested in Kyunei-san, right?"
"Oh, so you figured it out?"
"No, it's just a guess."
"Oh, I see, you caught me off guard. Well played."
Reed shrugged his shoulders, but he didn't seem too disheartened. From his easy admission, it didn't seem like there was much to hide.
Come to think of it, he did say that he was only 40% serious about being interested in Kyunei. That means more than half of it was serious, but it also suggests that there was some other intention behind it.
As the waiter brought the recommended tea to the table, I took a sip. It was indeed recommended, with a delicious yet calm taste.
After placing the cup on the table, Reed spoke again.
"Lately, there's been an increase in troublesome folks like the ones you encountered in this town."
"When you say 'folks,' you mean... not just them?"
Reed nods in agreement with Aina's question.
"Yeah, there are those who bother the people doing business here, and some are clearly involved in shady deals. Like pulling off scams with rigged lotteries, or swindling money with rigged games."
Maybe the commotion about the legendary sword (laughs) I encountered yesterday was also an example of those scams.
"There have been similar things happening before. Originally, because of its location, Eubarest is a town where a lot of outsiders come in. That's why it developed as a tourist spot, but there have always been issues between locals, visiting merchants, or even foreigners. Still, the town managed to keep going despite all that."
If there are more people, there are bound to be more troubles, especially when unfamiliar people gather. On the other hand, it was probably just an everyday occurrence.
"You see territorial disputes between shops, and lowly guys trying to make some quick cash off of excited tourists. Well, I guess that's just how things are in any town of a certain size."
Even in the royal capital, there are sleazy merchants trying to scam amateurs out of their money. But that's nothing particularly noteworthy.
"So, you're saying that these sleazy types have been increasing rapidly?"
"Yeah, it's been happening for about a year. They're not being sneaky behind the scenes anymore; they are blatantly targeting tourists and markets with obvious schemes. I haven't been to Eubarest in a while, and it seems like this started around the same time as when you guys entered. It's getting kinda weird."
Reed nodded again in response to Aina's question.
Still, even though I've been mostly listening intently, it's not like I dislike talking to Reed. Well, maybe a little, but if it's necessary, I'll talk. But before I can even think of asking a question, Aina always beats me to it. Whenever I'm about to voice a doubt, Aina speaks up first.
Hmm? Do I even need to be here in this situation?
'In moments like these, Aina really is reliable. She's a good listener and a good talker. Plus, she's got big breasts and is pretty, so it's hard not to let your guard down around women.'
It's a bit unsettling, but if this helps Reed slip up, then so be it. I'll just listen quietly.
"...Could it be that you visited Eubarest because of something like that, Reed-san?"
"Wow, aren't you a bit too perceptive, young lady?"
"I'm honored by your praise."
Facing Reed with a mix of disbelief and surprise, Aina responds with a small smile. It's not just a gentle expression; upon closer inspection, there's a hint of intellectual sharpness that exudes elegance.
"So, I was originally planning to explain it, but that's okay."
Reed said after scratching his head.
"I might have rambled a bit, but in short, that's it. The reason I took on this request is to investigate and eliminate the cause of the deteriorating public safety in this town."
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