NOVEL NEXT Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Rumors About Bonus
Chapter 98: Rumors About Bonus
Edda approaches with an oddly excited expression.
I had just left the tavern and returned straight to the stalls without stopping anywhere else. Yet, rumors of what I had supposedly caused had already spread, and now they were spreading further right before my eyes. And with bizarrely grotesque embellishments to boot…
“Wow, that’s Bonus, huh? But with both Kuro and Shiro there, it’s surprising there weren’t more casualties, huh?”
“Mr. Bonus, what actually happened?”
“Leaving someone else in charge of the shop and causing trouble… Can you tell us more details?”
Even Menas and Melanie eagerly press for the truth behind the rumors. Seems I underestimated the gossip-loving nature of the Savoia residents. Well, entertainment is scarce around here… And that tavern was the biggest I’ve seen in Savoia so far. Must’ve been quite a few customers aside from mercenaries. Though it hasn’t been that long, some people must have come and gone. Still, the speed at which information spreads is staggering… Looks like I’ll be the center of attention for a while. Thank goodness Kuro and Zamza didn’t cause any trouble…
“So, uh, it was more like an accident, you know?”
“Is that so?”
“Huh, it’s kinda duller than I thought…”
“No excitement… He might not look like it, but Piri’s actually a pretty decent guy.”
“Do you know him, old man?”
“Oh, I haven’t kept up with recent events, but he used to come to my shop to buy preserved food.”
“I see. Do you also run a business, old man?”
“Yeah, my shop is—”
There’s no need to hide anything, so I relay the series of events from the tavern as accurately as possible. The regulars are probably speculating and sharing knowledge, crafting new rumors from my story. They seem to be having a lot of fun.
“Mr. Bonus, about tomorrow, I’d like to join in as well.”
“Oh… Did I drag you into something troublesome?”
“No, there are a few things I want to confirm… It might be just what I needed. It’s actually quite helpful.”
“Well, that’s good then.”
Seems Menas has something on her mind too. It’s reassuring to have her along if she’s willing.
“Oh! Mr. Bonus! Is it true you got angry because your jacket got dirty and then destroyed the mercenary group!?”
“Oh, Romina. Well… it’s a bit different than that.”
The eldest daughter of the tailor, Romina, seems to have heard the rumors and rushed to the shop. She swiftly circles around me, snatching the jacket like a magician, all while listening to my brief explanation of the situation. She immediately begins inspecting the condition of the jacket.
“I’ll try to wash it so the stain doesn’t set. Honestly… messing up a newly tailored jacket like this… Wouldn’t it have been better to just destroy them?”
“Gyau gyau!”
Romina glares at the stain on the jacket with irritation. It seems Kuro agrees with Romina’s opinion.
“But in Kuro’s case, it wouldn’t be stylish, so let’s not… Oh, Pink-chan! Hello.”
She shake hands with Pinku, who emerges from the jacket’s breast pocket and greets her with its little finger. Romina has made various adjustments to the pocket to make Pink comfortable. Since then, despite being one of the city dweller, Pink has come to like her.
“Hey, Bonus! Is it true you hugged a smelly mercenary and got punched!?”
“As if! …Well, not exactly wrong either…”
It seems Oscar-san, having heard the rumors, approaches eagerly.
I order some coffee, toss it onto the tables for the customers, and leave everything to the regulars. It seems pointless to explain further, but at least this way I can save myself the trouble of explaining. Somehow, Shiro is demonstrating an armlock on Zamza, and the customers are getting overly excited. She’s much better at it than me… Zamza is tapping out with teary eyes, but Shiro doesn’t seem to be putting much effort into it, so she’s tilting her head in confusion. Was it a good idea to teach an oni joint locks…?
“Shiro, could you come with me to explain today’s events to Mil?”
“Yeah.”
Zamza looks at me like I’m his savior. Before I talk to the acting lord tomorrow, I need to hear Mil’s opinion too.
—
“Hey, Bonus… What if we just sent everyone back to the village?”
“Huh? But there are still monsters lurking around, right?”
As I arrive at the makeshift settlement of Vaintz Village, I’m greeted by the villagers. Even though it’s daytime, everyone seems somewhat lethargic and bored. If there’s nothing to do and they can’t return to the village, it’s understandable…
“We’ve always lived in a frontier village. We’ve hunted monsters countless times.”
“Well, that’s true… We’re short on manpower, and surprisingly, it might be a good idea. Though I’m worried about food… Well, if worse comes to worst, we can bring supplies from the hideout…”
“Everyone’s been oddly influenced by the city lately. I can’t stand it anymore… If we keep living aimlessly like this in such an environment, anyone would deteriorate.”
Indeed, everyone seems to have lost their spirit. And compared to before, the makeshift shelter feels much emptier. There’s no sign of the loud and conspicuous Mil either. Perhaps many people are wandering into the city without any specific purpose. Come to think of it, lately, when the city folks talk about Vaintz Village, I sense negative feelings mixed with sympathy. Though I don’t think they’re causing any problems, it’s only a matter of time before friction arises between the villagers and the city residents.
“Well, yeah… Maybe we should just take everyone and charge into the village…?”
“That’s a good idea! Everyone would surely be happy. Let’s confirm it tonight.”
“Got it. I’ll try talking to the acting lord in that direction tomorrow. But man, I’m really tired… I’ll head back to the hideout early today. Make something delicious for us on our day off, okay?”
“Yeah, leave it to me!”