Chapter 45

7/18 This is the 8th post of the day.

"“““Huh?””””

A collective murmur escaped from those present, and their gazes focused on me.

Of course, that’s to be expected.

Given the flow of events, the hunter was expelled, but it was fortunate that he didn’t have to face legal punishment.

With that, the matter was settled, and that’s that.

Except for the three people standing there with their mouths agape in shock, this was likely the resolution Yagov had intended, and Amanda, who had been watching the proceedings, probably thought it was over as well.

But I was different.

I’m not a hero. I’m not a good person. I’m the kind of guy who was even prepared for the 10% chance of the Demon King route.

--There’s no way I’d let this matter be resolved with such a lenient approach.

"I understand the punishment for them. While it’s somewhat unsatisfactory that an attempted crime isn’t punished by law... I suppose that’s the law of this country, and I have to accept it."

"Then... what else do you want?"

Amanda tilted her head in confusion...

Please consider my age for a moment.

My heart raced, but I regained my composure and continued.

"The expulsion from the Hunter's Guild is their punishment, and it has nothing to do with me. What I’m seeking is compensation for myself."

"So... you’re saying you want some form of compensation or apology from them, separate from their expulsion?"

I was unsure if the word "compensation" would be understood, but Yagov’s words made it clear that the [Language Understanding] skill had done its job.

"That’s right. A party invitation is no problem. Whether I accept or decline, it’s a very common occurrence. However, after that, they kept following me, which caused me a lot of stress. While I was hunting and moving, they just followed me without doing anything. It’s highly likely that they were spreading out, thinking that the ‘Prayer to the Goddess’ wouldn’t affect them.

Moreover, the time since the hunt ended... I estimate it’s been about two hours. In other words, they’ve wasted two hours of my time. I had a dinner reservation at an inn, and now I’ve missed it, losing the money I paid.

Do you understand the concept of hourly wages? It means how much you can earn per hour. For example, my earnings today—after a rough calculation—are about 440,000 Bikes. I earn this in about 10 hours, so my hourly wage is 44,000 Bikes.

So, for two hours of wasted time, it’s about 88,000 Bikes. Adding the mental distress and the impact of the ‘Prayer to the Goddess’... hmm, would their entire fortune be enough?"

What I’m saying is outrageous.

I know that.

It’s something that would work in a world where civil and criminal matters are separate, but in this world, such a concept of personal compensation is likely non-existent, as evidenced by Amanda and Yagov’s reactions.

Even in Japan, you can’t claim compensation for mental distress outside of work hours...

Still, if I can take everything from those I consider enemies, I will.

"Wait! I’ve lost my job and now I need money even more!"

"Such circumstances are irrelevant to me. This is the result of not considering the risks and easily trying to take from me."

"Please have mercy! I was planning to get married... If I lose my job and money, I won’t be able to get married!"

"That’s none of my concern. If you can’t get married, then give it up."

"Wait... The other two might have saved money, but I don’t have any extra. I don’t have any money to pay!"

"Then you’ll become a debt slave. I remember the guild’s training mentioned that if you damage a guild book, you become a debt slave—right? Debt slave."

Saying this, I looked at Amanda, who nodded awkwardly, and I smiled.

The three people in front of me were turning pale, but I didn’t care what happened to my enemies.

"Wait, Loki... I’m not saying this to be mean... but if you push them too far, it won’t end well."

"Actually, that would be convenient. According to the guild’s training, it’s not a problem to counterattack if the opponent is a thief, right?"

"Ah, yes..."

"Is that because the opponent is a criminal?"

"Yes..."

"Then if they try to harm me, I can counterattack without being punished, right?"

"...Technically, yes."

"I hate them so much that I want to kill them, but I can’t because of the law. So, even though I don’t need the money, I’m trying to resolve it with money. If they attack me, I can kill them, right? Isn’t that great!"

Saying this with a forced smile, the one who kept talking about getting married fainted, foaming at the mouth.

From there, things moved quickly.

Of course, the 42,000 Bikes they earned today, and the combined 300,000 Bikes in cash they had, were all confiscated.

I also took their weapons, armor, and potions, as they were now out of the hunting business and these items could be sold.

I spared their money and furniture at home, as I didn’t want to provoke a desperate attack...

Thanks to Yagov’s earlier threats, they believed I had something special and obeyed me with fear throughout, which made me feel satisfied.

In the end, the drunkard, who had no money, would take a loan from the other two, who were his former comrades, so there would be no debt slaves.

I didn’t intend to go that far anyway, and if it reduced the possibility of retaliation, it was a good deal.

As I watched the three leave the guild in a daze, I thanked the still-frightened Amanda and the tense Yagov.

"Thank you for your help today. I really appreciate it. I’m sorry for the trouble I caused."

Bowing deeply, I gave each of them 100,000 Bikes from the confiscated money.

"I’ve wasted your time as well. This is my apology."

"...Is this kind of behavior... Loki’s... norm?"

"Hmm, I don’t know. In my hometown, people are different, but I believe in saying thank you when helped and showing no mercy to enemies."

"I must avoid opposing Loki... even if I had multiple lives, they wouldn’t be enough."

"Hehe... I’m still weak, so I practice every day."

Amanda was still stiff, but when I put the 100,000 Bikes in her hand, her lips curved slightly, so she should be fine.

At this rate, I might be able to ask her for a favor.

"By the way, about the potions... if possible, could you give them to Jink and the others when they come to the reception?"

"Eh? Aren’t you going to use them yourself, Loki?"

"I think I’ll be in Locker Plain for a while, so I don’t plan to use them. I thought I’d give them to Jink and the others."

I confiscated 8 regular potions and 6 poison potions, but if I didn’t plan to use them, it would be more meaningful to give them to Jink and the others.

They might go to Locker Plain someday, or if not, they could sell them for some money.

"That’s fine... but the guild can buy them if you need money."

"I’m not short of money, and I don’t need anything right now. I want to do something nice for Jink and the others."

"Really, Loki, you’re so different..."

"Yeah. It’s interesting that you don’t use potions even in Locker Plain. Maybe it’s time to start your E-rank evaluation."

"Even if I become E-rank, I won’t go to Lulub Forest. I don’t want to die!"

"As long as you remain cautious, you won’t die easily. Well, that’s it for today. Everyone, let’s get ready to go."

As Amanda, who was closest to the door, left the negotiation room, Yagov muttered to me.

"‘The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.’ Similar incidents are likely to happen in the future. Be careful."

"True. But I don’t intend to hold back. I’ll try to avoid drawing attention."

I responded normally.

But—Yagov’s feet stopped, and he stood still with his hand on the door, staring at me.

He looked at me deeply, as if peering into my soul.

"The phrase I used earlier is a ‘special phrase’ that is often mistranslated, even by adults, to the best of my knowledge."

"Eh?"

"Of course, if your [Language Understanding] skill is high enough, it’s not a problem, but it’s not something a child can easily understand."

"..."

"It’s the only phrase from another world that I know. I said it in the original language, but... Loki understood it quite easily, didn’t you?"

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