Chapter 11

"Thank you, I'm saved!"

As he handed over the stolen bag, the man grabbed Flamm's hands and tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. He looked to be in his thirties, but he was unusually humble and seemed to be easily pushed around. At the very least, it was clear from his appearance alone that he shouldn't be walking alone in the West District.

"Oh, I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Leach Manchey, and I run a small store."

Leach introduced himself politely and bowed gracefully. His attire, the bag he had just recovered, and his mannerisms all exuded an air of upper-class sophistication. Moreover, Flamm had a vague memory of hearing the name Manchey somewhere, and it wasn't from a distant memory but rather very recently. Then, Milkit tapped her shoulder lightly and whispered in her ear.

"Isn't that the name of the store you visited to buy dinner?"

Just before they returned to the West District, the two had stopped by a large store that dealt in fresh produce.

"Oh! That's right, Manchey's store... No, no, it's not small at all, is it!?"

"No, there's still much to improve on."

His modesty was almost excessive. Manchey's store was one of the largest in the capital, dealing in fresh produce. It was so famous that anyone living in the capital would have used it at some point. Flamm had never imagined that the president of such a store would be so gentle and unassuming, even when dealing with slaves.

"By the way, what are your names?"

"Well, I'm Flamm, and I'm an adventurer in the West District. And this is Milkit."

"I serve my master."

When introduced by Flamm, Milkit bowed deeply. Thanks to her maid's uniform, her movements were quite graceful.

"Flamm and Milkit, is it? Flamm, I feel like I've seen your face somewhere before..."

As Leach showed a thoughtful gesture, Flamm's heart skipped a beat.

"I thought so too."

The young nun agreed. Given that the people in the church, including those who collected information, were familiar with Flamm, the former hero of the brave party, it made sense that they would recognize her.

"No... ahaha, I'm often told I look like a celebrity."

Flamm laughed and deflected. No one would imagine that the famous Flamm Apricot was now a slave, so even if they recognized her face, they wouldn't think it was her. Thanks to this, when she claimed it was just a coincidence, they didn't pursue it further.

"Was it just a coincidence? I apologize for my strange comment."

"No, don't worry about it."

It hurt a little to see him bow, knowing it wasn't just a coincidence.

"What about the nun?"

"Me? I'm Sera Ambilen, and I'm working hard for the Origin Church, as you can see!"

Her rural accent hadn't completely disappeared, which made her use of "ora" (a rural way of saying "I") quite fitting.

"Oh, so you're from the Origin Church! Thank you very much for helping me, I can't express my gratitude enough."

"It's no big deal, it's the duty of a nun to take down bad guys."

Sera placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest, a thin but proud gesture. Flamm's image of nuns as pure and delicate was being overwritten by this martial one. The two men lying at their feet probably never imagined they would be knocked out by a nun.

"By the way, what should we do with these guys?"

"Since the bag is back in my hands, I don't think there's anything special that needs to be done."

"Yeah, they'll probably learn their lesson after getting beaten up like this."

The two were about to let them go. Flamm couldn't help but exclaim, "Huh?" They were such good-natured people. As an adventurer and possibly a member of the Dain gang, would they really be in a position where they needed to resort to theft for income? If it was out of poverty, there might still be a chance for reform, but they probably just stole for fun. Such people wouldn't learn their lesson after just one beating.

"Is there a problem?"

"I think they should be turned over to the proper authorities. They'll probably do it again, I'm sure."

Flamm was certain. But Sera seemed to disagree.

"Really? Don't people usually learn their lesson after a painful experience? When I got beaten by my seniors, I learned my lesson and never did it again."

"That's because you're a good kid. Real villains don't learn unless they're punished."

"That's sad..."

Sera, who could feel sad at this moment, was undoubtedly a kind person. Flamm bent down and patted her head, continuing.

"Yes, it's sad, but that's reality. But if people like Sera keep working hard, things will get better eventually."

"...I understand, I'll work hard!"

She quickly recovered, which made her a simple and pure person. If everyone were as simple and pure as her, perhaps conflicts would disappear from the world.

"Given that, I think we should call the guards or the church knights. Leach, is that okay?"

"Yes, since you live in the West District, I'll leave it to you, Flamm."

"I know someone in the church knights, so I'll go call them!"

Sera said this and ran off at full speed, even before Flamm or Leach had a chance to say "please." As they watched Sera's back disappear like a storm, Milkit commented.

"She's a lively one, isn't she?"

"Yeah, she's quite impatient. Is that what youth is all about?"

"We can't possibly match her."

Flamm and Milkit, aged 16 and 14 respectively, exchanged a surprisingly mature conversation, which made Leach, who was over 30, chuckle.

"What are you saying? Flamm and Milkit, you're still young."

"That's true, but when you see that kind of energy..."

The age difference of 4 or 5 years in their teens felt much larger than the numbers suggested. Perhaps it was inevitable to feel envious of the unique power of youth that they had lost.

"By the way, Flamm."

"Yes?"

When Leach addressed her, Flamm looked at him. His previously calm expression had changed to a serious one, and the sudden shift in atmosphere made Flamm instinctively tense up.

"You seem to be a highly skilled adventurer... If you don't mind, would you consider taking on a request for me?"

"A request...?"

Flamm was indeed an adventurer, but for the head of Manchey's store to approach a complete stranger with a request was quite unusual. It seemed he was either very desperate or didn't care about formalities.

"I'm an F-rank adventurer, so I don't have that kind of power."

Flamm said apologetically.

"Really? With those skills, you're only F-rank!?"

"Well, I just became an adventurer yesterday..."

While her stats alone would easily surpass F-rank, her experience was still shallow. The ranking of adventurers wasn't determined by strength alone; experience and knowledge also played a significant role. Flamm didn't have the confidence to boast about having abilities beyond F-rank.

"That's just because people around you don't know your true capabilities. Besides, being unknown to the public is actually more convenient for me."

The situation suddenly became suspicious. The fact that he preferred someone with low visibility suggested that the request was something he didn't want others to know about. The fact that he approached her directly without going through the guild also hinted at a troublesome matter. Leach seemed to realize that Flamm was on guard and relaxed his expression, explaining why he had approached her.

"Actually, my wife is ill."

"That's terrible, but why not ask the church for treatment?"

"The illness can't be cured by magic. The priest told me that we can only wait and hope for her to recover on her own."

Milkit reacted to this. It was the same poison, Mustard, that had disfigured her face. In other words—

"But I found a reference in a document that says the illness can be cured with a medicine."

"I see... So that's why you're asking me directly."

If the guild were involved, the attempt to make medicine using herbs would be exposed to the church. Leach wanted to avoid that. The church had been suppressing alchemists for their own benefit. This wasn't just a thing of the past; even now, anyone caught secretly manufacturing medicine would be punished for illegal drug production. The kingdom, which sought to strengthen its ties with the church, would also be complicit, and even the president of Manchey's store couldn't escape legal repercussions if it were discovered.

"My wife's condition is worsening day by day. If we don't get the medicine soon, she might lose her life."

Leach said this, looking down. That's why he had to obtain the medicine through illegal means. As an adventurer with a low rank but high skills, Flamm was the one who could make it possible.

"Of course, the reward will be generous. I understand that guild-independent requests don't contribute to rank advancement, but I can offer additional compensation to make up for it."

To Flamm, this was an offer she couldn't refuse. It didn't seem to involve any criminal activity, and best of all, she didn't have to go through the guild. High-value requests meant high guild fees, which would go to them instead.

"What do you think, Master?"

"Hmm... I see."

Milkit's question made Flamm show a thoughtful gesture. The benefits were significant, but the risks were equally high. If the church found out, Flamm would be in danger as well. However, she wanted to help Leach, who cared so much for his wife. This desire tipped the balance. Flamm turned to Leach and said clearly.

"I'll take the request, Leach."

Leach's stern expression lit up with a hopeful smile.

"Really? Thank you! Oh, God, I'm grateful for this encounter..."

Flamm wanted to point out that the Origin Church, which he was praying to, was the one causing the problem, but she didn't say anything. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he clasped his hands and prayed to the sky. However, she hadn't even asked what herbs were needed or where to find them. After waiting for Leach to calm down, she asked.

"By the way, where does this herb grow?"

"Actually... I don't know. I know it's a plant called Kiara that bears blue flowers, but most of the documents on herbs have been lost."

The fact that he knew the material at all was a miracle, thanks to his determination to save his wife.

"I see... So finding it is part of the request."

"Yes. I know it's a lot to ask, but you're the only one I can turn to!"

He said this, almost pleading. Starting from scratch, Flamm wasn't confident, but—

"Once I take it on, I'll see it through. I won't give up halfway."

She had some connections for herb knowledge. If she could find "her," there might be a way. The question was whether "she" would cooperate with Flamm.

‘They hesitated a bit but ultimately accepted—’

‘You were the biggest burden to them—’

Jean's words echoed in her mind. Whether they were true or not, they continued to shake her. If they were true, "she" wouldn't cooperate with Flamm. But now, she had to believe.

"However, it will take some time."

"My wife's condition isn't good, but she's not in immediate danger. All I can say is to do it as soon as possible, and I apologize for being so irresponsible."

There was no set deadline, but it would be until Leach's wife passed away. If it didn't work out, the consequences would be dire. Flamm had to find and deliver the Kiara at all costs—her responsibility was significant.

"The materials on Kiara are at my house. Would you mind coming to pick them up later?"

"Sure."

As the conversation about the request concluded, Sera's voice was heard at the right moment.

"Here they are!"

She ran over with two knights in white plate armor. The knights created a ring of light with magic and used it to apprehend the unconscious men. After a brief exchange with Leach, Flamm, and Milkit, they took the men away. Flamm watched them go, impressed by how smoothly things went, probably because Sera was connected to the church.

"Good work!"

Sera waved goodbye to the knights, still full of energy despite running all the way. There was no trace of fatigue on her beaming face, though sweat glistened on her forehead. When the knights were out of sight, she turned to Flamm and said,

"I hope those men will be better when they come out."

"Me too, it would make me happy if they become good people."

The security in the West District might improve, and the Dain gang's power might be weakened.

"By the way, Leach, I have a question."

"What is it?"

Leach responded casually. Sera looked up at him, tilted her head, and asked,

"Are you, by any chance, troubled by something related to herbs?"

"Why... How did you know?"

Flamm's heart skipped a beat. Leach hesitated for a moment but managed to maintain a poker face.

"...No, I'm not."

He must have been quite surprised, as was Flamm. How did Sera