kscans

Chapter 58 - Nanapon Is Worth at Least 200 Million Yen

When I arrived at the guild, I spoke with Claire, then immediately went to see Satsuki-san in the branch manager's office.

"Hmm, about Nanapon... Did you meet with her in your Eleanor form?"

Satsuki-san asked after I showed her the messages on my phone and explained the situation.

"Only once, when I tried to send her home in a taxi. You know, during that kidnapping incident."

"Were you seen then?"

"That alone wouldn't tell anyone that Nanaka-san and I are close. It's probably something else."

They wouldn't kidnap someone just because they were about to share a taxi. As I told Harry and Claire, it's not unheard of for two of the few women in the same guild to ride together. It's far too forceful for that.

"Something else? Do you have any ideas?"

"Nanaka-san apparently went to look at watches today, of all days. And she's already spent 200,000 of the million yen I gave her."

It hasn't even been ten days since I gave her that million yen.

"Ah... a mere university student suddenly coming into money. On top of that, she belongs to the same guild as Eleanor... That does look suspicious."

"She was a girl who originally only came during the day, same as me. It's probably something along those lines."

"I should have told you to warn her about that."

"Both I and Kaede-chan told her. But it seems it was no use. She was apparently ecstatic about the two hundred million."

I understand how she feels. I was over the moon with Kaede-chan yesterday, too.

"It became an absurd amount of money, after all."

"True. Well, it's good medicine for her. I think she'll be more careful in the future."

Getting kidnapped will surely make her more cautious.

"In the future... hope she has one."

Hey, don't kill off Nanapon.

"I'll save her right away. I don't know who they are, but I'll make them rust for my sword."

"Well, don't overdo it. Should I go too?"

"I wasn't told to come alone, but I'll be fine. You have auction work to do, don't you?"

"I was thinking I'd show them the power of an A-ranker..."

Couldn't you at least pretend and say, 'I want to help Nanapon too'?

"Anyway, don't do anything unnecessary. More importantly, was Nanaka-san alone?"

"Apparently so. They said she came alone and headed to the Diana Mine alone."

Alone, huh.

"Maybe they have a unique skill like Claire's?"

"Probably so. Something like being able to disappear? Like your potions."

"That must be it. What about entry through the back?"

"Nothing. The security guards say no one passed through, and the security cameras haven't picked up any suspicious individuals."

There's definitely something going on.

"Something like this has happened before."

"The burglary where someone broke into the Status Card storage room. I think it's the same culprit."

There's no doubt about it.

"Are you going to report this to your superiors?"

"Depends on the other party. For now, I'll hold off."

She has no intention of reporting it. Well, if she did, the burglary would come to light too.

"Understood. Well then, I'm off to rescue the captive Princess Nanapon."

"You're awfully composed."

"I know their objective. And in the worst case, it's off with their heads."

"What about Nanapon, the hostage?"

"We've lost a valuable person."

What's important, and what to cut loose. For me, what's important is money and Kaede-chan. Nanapon comes after that.

"You could never be a hero."

"What are you saying to a witch? Besides, right now, I'm the heroine."

"Well, if you can, try to save Nanapon too."

Satsuki-san handed me my sword, staff, and katana.

"I will."

Not wanting to keep them waiting, I put the sword and staff in my bag, sheathed the katana, and stood up.

"Well then, wait for my report. Want a head?"

"I don't. Just hurry up and go."

I left the branch manager's office, went through the reception area, and headed straight for the Gate without going through the front desk. Kaede-chan wasn't here today, and I had permission from Satsuki-san.

I arrived in front of the Gate, stopped, took a deep breath, and exhaled. Then, I stepped through the Gate.

◆◇◆

Passing through the Gate, I found myself in the usual dim, flat land surrounded by rocky mountains.

Whenever I come here to adventure, Nanapon is always here first, waiting for Eleanor-san. She would always run up to me with a smile.

But today was different. Standing in front of the shack wasn't Nanapon, but a suspicious man in a black suit and sunglasses. The man had his hands in his trouser pockets, standing in front of the shabby table, looking at me.

"You, Eleanor Ocean, yes?"

As Nanapon had said in her message, his Japanese was indeed a little strange.

"Please, use your native language. I can understand it, and you'll be understood."

I had taken a Translation Potion before coming.

"That again... It was the same in the video, but hearing it directly is even more unsettling."

The man spoke fluent words, saying something awful.

"Calling it unsettling hurts my feelings. Didn't your mother teach you how to speak to a lady?"

"She did not. Such things are unnecessary."

What a lost cause. He'll never be popular with the ladies. He needs to be a gentleman like me!

"What a lonely person..."

"I didn't call you here for idle chatter."

"Then state your business quickly. I'm not free either."

I have to go shopping. And then, I have to have a farewell party with that house.

"Tell me how to make the Item Bag."

"You can make one with a rubber band."

"Are you joking?"

It's actually true.

"Fufuh, I'm at a loss when you ask me how to make an Item Bag. I don't know such a thing."

"Then where did that Item Bag come from?"

"I've already made it public. S, L, I, M, E. Fufuh."

"...It seems you have no intention of answering."

No, I've already answered. Rubber band is the correct answer. Well, no one would believe it. Even I still think there must have been something better.

"Why should I have to answer without getting anything in return?"

"We have a hostage."

"No, you don't. It's just you, isn't it? Did she die? Did you kill her?"

Nanapon, you alive?

"Hey!"

The man turned towards the shack and called out. Then, from behind the shack, a gagged and bound Nanapon appeared, dragged out by a man in a similar black suit and sunglasses.

"Oh? So you were still alive."

"We don't kill hostages. Not if you cooperate..."

"How kind. If it were me, I'd kill her either way."

I said that and looked at Nanapon.

Looking at Nanapon, I saw no signs of assault. It seems Nanapon didn't resist.

Nanapon looked at me with teary eyes, then suddenly shifted her gaze to the left. I glanced in the direction of Nanapon's gaze, but there was nothing there.

"Spit it out if you don't want her killed."

The man holding Nanapon took out a knife and held it to her neck.

"Why should I have to do anything for that girl?"

"We know she's your accomplice. A kid like this couldn't have this much money."

The man said that as he pulled a wad of cash from his pocket. It was probably Nanapon's 800,000 yen.

"Hmm... actually, you're right. I had her help me with a little something. In return, I'm supposed to give her ten percent of the auction proceeds. But if she dies, I won't have to give her the two hundred million."

"Hmph. I've heard that she is your disciple."

Nanapon sure spills the beans easily.

"Disciple? Oh, disciple. Nanaka-san, you want to become a witch, don't you?"

When I asked that, Nanapon nodded vigorously.

"Looks like she is. Please don't kill her after all."

A disciple in making money, that is.

"Then talk."

"Ah... I'm sorry. Could you wait a moment?"

I cut off the conversation.

"Wait?"

"It seems a monster has appeared."

"...There's no such thing here."

The man looked around.

"You're a foreigner, so you don't know about this place. There's a monster called a Hide Skeleton that appears here."

"What's that? Skeleton? A skeleton?"

"That's right. And it's transparent, so you can't see it. There's one over there. It's interrupting our conversation, so I'll dispose of it."

With those words, I drew my sword from my bag and stepped in the direction Nanapon had indicated with her gaze just before.

"W, wait!!"

The man hurriedly tried to stop me, but my sword did not stop. My blade swung down towards a spot where the sand on the ground was moving unnaturally.

The sensation of cutting flesh, clearly not bone, traveled up my arm, and blood splattered. And at the tip of my down-swinging sword, a man collapsed.

"Oh? Who's this? A Hide Human, not a Hide Skeleton? Well, it's a monster, right?"

Then there's no problem!