kscans

Chapter 221 - Splitting the Spoils

Upon returning to my living room via Arc's teleportation magic, I immediately sent a message to Nanapon with the photo attached. It was marked as read almost instantly, and a reply came back.

'I wanted to take an Insta-worthy picture like that too (crying)... I'm on my way right now.'

Hmm, I feel a little bad for her. She's been left out of everything lately.

"What did Nanapon say?" Yoshino-san asked, fiddling with her own smartphone just like me.

"She said she's coming right over. What about you?"

"Satsuki-nee-san said she's coming right over too."

Well, that's what I'd expect from her.

"Arc, come over here. I'm going to transfer these to item bags, so take them out one by one, please."

I said to Arc and headed for the sofa.

"What a pain."

"It can't be helped."

It's a pain for me too.

"Oh, I'll make some tea. Is coffee okay?" Kaede-chan asked.

"Please."

"Coffee is fine for me too."

"Cocoa!"

Arc really likes his cocoa.

"Okay. Please wait a moment."

Kaede-chan said that and went to the kitchen, so I, along with Arc, started sorting the gold bars into four empty item bags. While we were at it, Kaede-chan brought us coffee, and Arc and I continued sorting in silence while sipping our drinks.

Just as we finished sorting, Nanapon and Satsuki-san arrived.

"Saw the picture. That's an incredible amount," Satsuki-san said with a cheerful laugh.

"Eighteen hundred bars, apparently."

"I can't even wrap my head around it anymore. Makes you wonder what that underground ruin from before was all about."

"They said gold has the same value as iron over there. Maybe that's why it was just left in the underground ruin?"

If I were the master of that place, I wouldn't bother carrying heavy iron with me while evacuating.

"That could be it. Arc, what's the deal?" Satsuki-san asked Arc.

"A long time ago, gold coins were used as currency. It's probably from back then. I can't go into details, but a gold mine was discovered in a certain place where they could get massive amounts of gold. That caused the value of gold to crash. Now, nobody wants it."

So there's a history behind it.

"Are there more in other ruins?"

"Who knows? The ruins they've handed over to the people of Feire are all old and worthless, so I have no idea."

"Hmm... well, the only area Japan is leasing is the Kunaar Ruins, so I guess it doesn't matter."

We can't go to the areas leased by foreign countries.

"Eleanor-san, where's the gold? Where's my gold bed? I want to play Cleopatra."

Nanapon started tugging on my sleeve as she spoke.

"Was Cleopatra like that?"

"I have no idea."

Oh well.

"Alright, here you go. This is your share, Nanaka-san."

I handed Nanapon a bag.

"Whoa! ...A bag feels a bit anticlimactic."

Nanapon was happy for a moment, but then she tilted her head with a conflicted expression.

"There are 180 bars, you know? You can't carry 1800 kilograms, can you?"

"That's an incredible amount... Also, this item bag is pretty insane too."

It can hold up to 2000 kilograms, after all.

"Don't sell it. Now, this is Yoshino-san's share."

This time, I handed a bag to Yoshino-san.

"Thanks. Maybe I'll put some on display at my place too?" Yoshino-san glanced at the tower of gold bars placed at the edge of the living room.

"It'll make your drinks taste better."

It makes you smile without even realizing it.

"I told you, I can't drink."

"Then drink some apple juice. Alright, this is Satsuki-san's share. It's five percent, so ninety bars."

"But I didn't do anything."

"If you're going to say that, these guys didn't do anything either. I said I'd guarantee your share, didn't I? Take it."

I said that and handed the bag to Satsuki-san.

"My bad. I didn't know you were such a good person."

What did you think of me until now?

"...Whatever. Anyway, with this, our business with Frontier is concluded. I'm glad we finished it before the end of the year."

"Yeah. The auction is next year..."

"How are things at the Guild?"

"After the new year. They've agreed to hold that briefing session you mentioned."

That was decided faster than I thought. Did they cave to the President's pressure?

"Then, please let the Guild know. Only two people can attend the briefing, including their escort. Also, no unique skill holders. If any country brings one, they won't be allowed to participate in the auction."

"I get why you'd ban unique skill holders, but how do you plan to enforce that? Make them submit their status cards?"

"That's impossible. They'll just forge them or prepare someone else's. I have a helpful girl who will assist, so it's fine."

I can just have Lydia-chan check.

"What about weapons? Will you allow them? Honestly, an assassination is a real possibility."

"I'd like to ban weapons, but there will be monsters. Please make it so only pre-approved weapons are allowed. Anyone who breaks this rule will also be barred from the auction."

"You're having Nanapon check for this, right?"

No matter how well they try to hide them, they're meaningless before Nanapon's Clairvoyance.

"That's right. Nanaka-san, I'm counting on you. You're our only hope, since you can see even inside item bags."

I looked at Nanapon, who had, at some point, started taking out gold bars in someone else's living room to build a mountain.

"Huh? Oh, yes. Leave it to me. There is nothing I cannot see!"

According to Arc, Clairvoyance is apparently called the Eye of the Ruler. It's incredibly cool, and Nanapon's line is cool too, but when a girl with a bunny on her back says it, it's just cute.

"Nanapon should be able to handle concealed weapons. And there are no heavy weapons in Frontier. Still, I expect some powerful people to show up. Are you sure you'll be okay? Even you might not be able to handle it."

Satsuki-san was worried. I think she was worried about the money, though.

"I know. Any suspicious person will be unceremoniously sent to Bashi-ra via Arc's teleportation magic."

I'll have to mobilize all my disciples. Even though they're all kids.

"I guess I'll make sure to thoroughly warn them not to engage in any suspicious behavior..."

"Wouldn't that be for the best? I'll leave those notifications to the Guild."

"Got it. I'll pass it on. You're staying here for the New Year's holiday, right?"

Did Kaede-chan tell her?

"That's right. I'll be killing time with Arc. You're going to your parents' house, Satsuki-san?"

"Yeah, Yoshino is planning to give me a ride."

So that's the day after tomorrow.

"That's the first I'm hearing of it..." Yoshino-san muttered under her breath.

"It's fine, isn't it?"

"Well, I guess... You should buy a car. A single gold bar would more than cover it."

"I don't like driving."

I'm scared of driving too. And Kaede-chan doesn't like it.

"What about you, Nanapon?"

"I don't even have a license. Everyone... my parents stopped me."

I can kind of understand. If Nanapon told me she wanted to get a driver's license, I'd stop her too. I'd be incredibly worried.

"I'll ask just in case, what about you, Kaede?"

"I'm also scared of driving. I have a license, but I haven't actually driven since graduating from driving school."

Me too, me too.

"I want to drive. Those things are fast and comfortable, right?"

Unexpectedly, Arc raised his hand...

Absolutely not!