Chapter 28: The Reward That Awaits

“W-what… we’re saved…?”

“And the workshop won’t be destroyed…?”

“Yeah—true! We don’t have to worry about the debt anymore!”

“““Ooooooh!”””

The craftsmen in the workshop erupted at once with triumphant shouts. Some of them were openly weeping, faces wet with relief.

“Lilcarlia-sama, thank you so much. I never imagined the client would turn out to be the lord himself—what a surprise.”

“Oh, nonsense—this is all thanks to Geo.”

“Thanks to me?”

At that moment something suddenly barreled into me from the side.

“!?”

I only avoided falling because I was grabbed and held tight.

An arm circled my waist and pressed me flush against someone. The softness of the body, the pleasant scent—there was absolutely no doubt: it was a girl.

Wait—this smell… could it be—?

“Sh-Shifa-san!?”

“Geo, thank you. It’s because of you.”

Shifa’s voice whispered close to my ear. Her breath tickled it, and a bolt of electricity seemed to run through me.

Am I being hugged by Shifa right now!?

“Oh ho ho—well, well, well.”

Lilcarlia gave a knowing nod, but I had no patience to care what she was implying.

“Sh-sh-sh, Shifa-san…!”

And—this is embarrassing—but it’s true: something is definitely pressing against me! I can’t say where exactly, but it’s soft and very pleasant to the touch!

I could die happy right now.

Shifa slowly let go and moved away from me. Ahhh…

“Because of Geo, my father’s workshop was spared. Thank you.”

“N-no, I only consulted with Lilcarlia-sama—”

“Fufufufu—Geo, you were so desperate back then. You even went all the way to the Merchant Guild to look for me—”

“W-what!?”

Please don’t tell everyone that!

Despite my frantic inner protest, Lilcarlia winked like she’d been told to handle it, and said in a sing-song voice,

“I, too, put forth every effort this time because it was Geo’s request.”

“See—told you it was Geo’s doing.”

Shifa nodded as if she were absolutely certain. The craftsmen and my father—who had been celebrating with the others—now came over to us.

“Geo, you really saved us this time. How can I ever thank you?”

“No, I’m just glad I could help.”

“You’re a good lad… you know what?”

My father seemed to think of something and slapped his hand on his thigh.

“How about I give you my daughter?”

“Whaaaat!?”

What on earth is he saying all of a sudden!?

“I may be saying this as her father, but she’s a real beauty. Well, she’s no good at housework, mind you!”

“Th-that’s—um, those decisions should really be based on—on how she feels—”

“Gahahahaha! I’m kidding, I’m kidding!”

As I panicked, her father laughed heartily and patted my back so hard it stung.

A small part of me felt relieved, but another part was oddly disappointed. If her father had really pushed—who knows. No, that’s impossible. There’s no way someone like me and Shifa would match. We aren’t in the same league.

Anyway, I was glad Shifa was pleased. What I did wasn’t much, but she seemed happy.

While I was lost in that thought, something tugged at the hem of my clothes. I turned and saw Shifa, shy and hesitant.

“Geo.”

“Y-yes?”

“I want to thank you again.”

“Thank me? N-no, really—what happened earlier was more than enough.”

That earlier hug was the greatest reward I could ever ask for.

But—how rude of me to refuse such a sincere offer! Yet because of her father’s earlier remark, I suddenly couldn’t look Shifa in the face properly.

“You mean—earlier?”

“N-no, it’s nothing!”

Apparently, to Shifa it wasn’t a ‘thank you’ at all. I quickly covered how flustered I was; I couldn’t stand the embarrassment of having been seen as overly conscious of her.

“Well then, whenever it’s convenient for you, maybe we could go somewhere together again…?”

“Would that be all right?”

“Yes!”

“All right.”

We left the workshop to repeated thanks from the craftsmen; Lilcarlia came with me.

“Geo—so you like Shifa, don’t you?”

“Wha—!?”

“Fufufu—if you react so obviously, that’s the same as admitting it.”

“Did you try to trick me!?”

I’d been outplayed. As expected of a merchant—extracting information from people is their specialty.

“No, no—there’s no need for such tactics. It’s perfectly obvious.”

“Ugh…”

I gave up and surrendered to the evidence.

“That’s right… though frankly, I don’t think you have much of a chance.”

“Do you really think so?”

Lilcarlia protested, but I knew the truth—Shifa didn’t view me as a romantic interest; to her I was more like a little brother. That’s why she could hug me so casually a moment ago.

After I parted ways with Lilcarlia and returned home, Milk barreled out from the inner room at full speed.

“Niini!”

“There, there—have you been a good boy?”

He’d grown again since then—now lifting him required a real effort. I ran my hands over his whole body.

“Niini~”

Apparently, some cats dislike being stroked, but Milk loved it. He was more like a dog than a cat.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Sorry, brother. No matter how much we checked, we couldn’t find that merchant’s whereabouts. The guild-registered posts are all deserted.”

“Tch… who is that little merchant anyway… she got in my way.”

“But we did find a place she frequents.”

“What? Where?”

“A house where a pair of newly adult siblings live. The older brother seems to be the same guy who was at the workshop with that merchant.”

“That one… hm. Then abduct him. Use him as bait to lure that loathsome merchant.”

“Understood!”