NOVEL NEXT Chapter 21 - Each of their futures
“I’m home…”
After following the usual procedures, she opened the door and stepped inside.
This was the town of wols, at old man Bob’s shabby house.
Letty, having completed her ‘settlement,’ deliberately waited a day before returning.
“Welcome back, Miss Letty!”
Ellie was standing right in front of her, Like a dog who had heard the footsteps of its owner. Not that Letty had ever owned a dog. She couldn’t help but smile at the girl’s bright grin.
“…I’m home, Ellie.”
It was just a greeting, but for some reason, it was hard to say.
Even so, that difficulty wasn’t unpleasant; if anything, it felt comforting.
For a while, Their gazes locked with each other…
“Oh, you’re back quick, Ghost. Or should I start calling you Egret now?”
“Welcome back, Ghost. Yeah, Egret sounds good to me too?
Hearing the voices, Old Bob and… Rita came out.
Rita and Old Bob didn’t know about the teleportation, so she had to wait by staying for a day in the town before coming back….
After the purge and rescuing Rita
Letty and Ellie brought Rita back to the town of Wols.
While tending to her injuries, Erget sorted out the information and confirmed it.
After doing so Erget had returned alone to the royal capital to ‘verify’ the truth.
And as expected, she retrieved what was needed to be retrieved.
“Well, I don’t know……Yeah, that’s right… The guild is no more, so…”
At the voices of the two, Erget tilted her head, she thought for a bit, and then came to a conclusion.
“Yeah, Greg’s gone, and a lot of our members have been killed off too.”
Egret’s words made the two nod.
“It’s clear that we can’t continue that line of work anymore.”
Though there was a slight tinge of regret in their voices, both seemed largely at peace with it.
Such a profession was always bound to come to an end anyways
They had already accepted that.
They knew they were lucky to have survived.
“Oh, by the way… as expected, he was in on it too.” Egret said to Old Bob and Rita
“I figured. You’ve ‘retrieved’ everything cleanly, haven’t you?”
“Of course.”
Bob asked for confirmation, and Letty nodded in response.
Rita sighed heavily.
“Geez, it ticks me off that we were fooled by those guys, but well, since you took care of it, I guess I’ll let it go.”
“Rita… thank you. It was thanks to your information.”
Rita ruffled Erget’s hair, and she squinted her eyes as if she was getting tickled.
Then Ellie approached, tugging gently at Letty’s arm.
“Letty, isn’t your backpack bulging more than when you left?”
“Ah… because I retrieved this too.”
Letty removed her backpack and pulled out a leather pouch.
It was packed full, and looked quite heavy.
“These are the Mithril coins he split with Hans. Probably half of the 300 coins, about 150. I didn’t count, though.”
With a thud, she placed it on the table.
The payment had been increased, just as Greg had demanded.
It seemed they had prepared it from the start, knowing they’d split it anyway.
Seeing the pouch, Bob and Rita began to think.
“Now then, what should we do with all this? Adding it to what was left in the guild, it’s quite a sum. At least, it’s not something you’d leave in a small shop like this.”
“That’s right. If we split it up… I feel like it would only bring us ruin. It’s important to stay within your means.”
Indeed, during their escape with Rita, they had taken as much money from the guild’s safe as they could carry.
…Despite her appearance, Ellie was surprisingly strong and had carried a significant amount, though that was a secret.
In total, it amounted to more than 1,500 Mithril coins. equivalent to over 1.5 billion gold coins and jewels were stored and hidden in the shop’s warehouse.
“Nobody seems to have caught wind of it, so as long as we don’t spend it recklessly, we shouldn’t get caught… but still, it’s unsettling.”
“…You know, Greg once said something.”
Erget addressed the grumbling old man, and Rita looked at her curiously.
“Hmm? What did he say?”
“…In case something happened to him, he said to divide up the remaining money among the survivors and disband. He said it was meant to be a farewell gift for moving on.”
“That bastard… said something like that?”
Old Bob and Rita knew Letty wasn’t the type to lie for money.
If she were, she could have killed both of them here and now. It would be easier for her, and they knew she wouldn’t do it. So, Letty’s words must have been true.
“That bastard… for such a relentless and greedy rationalist, he had his moments, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, even if it was all calculated, he was a hard guy to hate, wasn’t he…”
The two quietly turned their eyes toward the leather pouch.
…For a moment, silence fell.
“Egret, did he mention an amount?”
“Hmm… He was laughing, saying maybe something about 50 Mithril coins.”
“For something that would only happen after his death, that’s quite generous.”
Rita chuckled at the absurdly large amount for a farewell gift.
The old man looked strangely amused, and a little sad.
“That’s quite the perfect amount, enough to accept without hesitation. I wonder if it was just luck or if he planned it… hard to say with him.”
“Isn’t that just like him? That’s good enough, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll go get some bags to split it up.”
With that, Bob stood up.
As they watched him head to the back, Rita leaned on the table with her elbow.
“Yeah… that’s the kind of guy he was. Not that I could ever say I liked Greg, not even if my mouth was torn open, but I didn’t hate him either. I acknowledged him as my guild’s master….”
“Hmm… Yeah, maybe… I think I understand.”
Ellie, who had been quietly listening, tilted her head.
“Everyone speaks so fondly of him… what kind of person was he?”
“Oh, that’s a long story…”
“Hey, old man! While you’re at it, bring some drinks and glasses! Let’s have a toast for him!”
Rita called out toward the back.
“What’s that? Sure, but my hands are full!Rita, why don’t you come over and help carry it?”
“Alright, alright, can’t be helped then…”
Grumbling, Rita stood up and said, “I’ll be back,” winking at Erget and Ellie.
After Rita disappeared into the back for a while…
“Was he really that kind of person?”
“Who knows… Maybe, yeah.”
“Huh… I see, I see…”
“… Hm? What’s the matter?”
“It’s nothing!”
Ellie, unusually, turned her face away in a pout.
It was a topic she couldn’t quite follow, and on top of that, it seemed to be about someone who wasn’t a light subject for Letty either.
In short, she was sulking a little.
“It doesn’t really seem like nothing to me…”
“It is nothing!…Hey, Miss… Letty. What was he like to you?”
“To me… hmm… yeah…”
She thought for a while.
What kind of presence was he to her?
It wasn’t something she could explain in just one word.
“It’s hard… I can’t say I liked him, but I definitely didn’t dislike him either…He’s the one who took me in. As well…Maybe I felt grateful to him…”
Now, there was no way to confirm.
She realized with strange clearity that her thoughts were now filtered through the fact of his death.
“What’s with the gloomy atmosphere?
Come on, let’s talk more after a drink!
Hey, Ellie, can you handle Liquor?”
“Oh, yes, I’m fine.…Um, Letty, are you alright?”
“There’s no problem with just drinking.”
“She can drink as much as she wants. Greg made her immune to most poisons, you know.”
“Yeah, that was brutal. I remember thinking, ‘Did he really have to go that far?’ so many times.”
Glasses were placed in front of Erget and Ellie, along with some random snacks to go with the drinks.
“Let’s put aside the negativity for now. First, a toast…To Greg and our fallen guildmates.”
The old man adjusted his tone, raised his glass solemnly, and the other three followed suit.
They raised their glasses and downed the drinks.
“Old man, you splurged, didn’t you?”
“You can tell, Rita. Well, it’s a special occasion.”
“Then, I won’t hold back either!”
Licking the corner of her lips, Rita poured herself another glass.
Once the drinks started flowing, their conversations never stopped. Rita and the old man reminisced excitedly about Greg, with Erget occasionally joining in, while Ellie watched the three of them—especially Letty—smiling warmly, though with a slight hint of sadness.
When the funeral drinks had settled down…
“By the way, what are you all planning to do next? I’ll keep running this place.”
“Ah… yeah, I guess I’ll manage somehow, but…
I do feel like settling down somewhere… I’m a bit tired.”
“Well, I can hook you up with a job or two. You’d have plenty of offers.”
“Old man, do you have connections to brothels too?”
“Of course. With your looks and knowledge, even the high-class places would take you. If you want, I can recommend you for a maid job as well—royal or ducal, even.”
He said it as if it were the most obvious thing. His face was flushed with happiness, but his tone was firm—he wasn’t entirely joking.
“Cut it out with the jokes! Me, a high-class courtesan? Let alone a maid to royalty or nobility?”
“It’s no joke. You’ll need to watch with your manners, but… the knowledge and education Greg drilled into you are enough for that. His training was that thorough. You might not realize it, but it’s true.”
“…Sure, it helped me during those jobs, but…Ugh, thinking about it makes me mad again! What the hell was up with that guy!”
Looking back, she’d infiltrated the circles of nobles using various means, rarely raising any suspicion. Thanks to the skills she had acquired. But now, it left a bitter taste in her mouth. Looking back on it, it filled her with mixed emotions, and she downed her glass. Often, when you want to say something, the moment to say has already passed.
“How about you, Egret? Your education is similar, but… you’re not really maid material.”
“Me? …Well… nothing comes to mind…”
She took a sip from her glass, thinking. What did she want to do from here?
She felt like she was being wrapped in a vague, white haze.
As she tilted her glass again…
“Ellie, do you have anything you want to do next?”
“Me? Uh… hmm… Well… yeah…I want to stay with Letty, That’s obvious, right…?”
“…Ellie?”
She was drunk.
Drunk in a way completely unbecoming of a tactical weapon.
Clinging to Letty’s arm, she smiled with pure happiness.
Was she always this weak to alcohol…? Letty wondered internally.
“Oh, right! …I want to travel! I want to go west… There’s something I want to see…Letty, can we…?”
Clinging, leaning, and fawning over her.
Letty, flustered, couldn’t escape. Her ears felt hot, though she wanted to believe it was just from the alcohol. But… Being doted on wasn’t unpleasant….
“It’s not a problem… Yeah, it’s fine. So, let’s do that.”
She was pushed along. But it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. In fact… she felt a bit exhilarated, though she didn’t know why.
“…Hey, Egret. Don’t you think she’s kind of dominating you?”
“…Old Bob, I wish you hadn’t pointed that out…”
She averted her eyes from the amused old man, muttering to herself.
Rita and the old man, delighted by the unusual sight, burst into laughter.
Suddenly, she had a realization and Erget raised her voice.
“Oh, right… If it’s okay with you two…”
“Hmm? What is it? It’s rare for you to ask for something. Your big sister will grant you any wish♪”
“Hold on, no way! Letty’s my master!!”
…There was no way to get serious in this kind of atmosphere…
The atmosphere was confusing, unfamiliar—but not unpleasant.
“”You see… I think there might still be some of our comrades left. So… how about we bring them their severance pay while we’re on our journey?”
“”Oh? I see… They are mainly targeted around the royal capital, and there are probably some places we can’t reach. Plus, it would help reduce the money we have here. Not a bad idea.”
“I agree. And I know you wouldn’t run off with it.”
“…Thanks, both of you…”
“Then I’ll carry it! Since I’m Letty’s faithful servant! And I’m strong, too! Look!”
It was as if she’d always been trusted. She realized that for the first time, and it felt strange. As she watched Ellie waving a large chair around to prove a point, she wondered…
…She just realized it now, and the thought made her a little embarrassed.
‘Maybe it’s okay to live’
Somehow, she felt that way.
“Ellie, I get it, you’re strong…We’ll be together, of course. Right? Let’s travel together… I prefer it that way”
She realized that she felt this way because of Ellie. As she said those words, she gently took Ellie’s hand.
Immediately, Ellie stopped moving. She looked at their joined hands, then slowly, gently lowered the chair. She coughed and took a deep breath.
“That’s the kind of thing I was talking about! You, womanizer!!”
“…That’s a bit unreasonable, don’t you think…”
Blushing furiously, Ellie scolded her, and Letty, furrowing her brows in confusion, muttered to herself.
Rita clapped her hands, laughing loudly, teasing, “Oh, how romantic!” while the Old Bob chided them with a laugh, “Just don’t break anything in the shop, alright?”
Ah, surely, she thought. It was okay.
The people who were left had to live. And a little bit of happiness was allowed, wasn’t it?
She looked up at the ceiling.
‘I’ll live’
Erget thought, quietly speaking to Greg, Ted, and the others.
**Next: No regrets**
**Arc 2: The Assassin Girl Sets Out on a Journey**