A Case Closed
We decided to release Rajah’s son for now.
It’s hard to have a proper conversation with him still tied up.
“Well then, Gid, was it? Why did you pull such a stunt?”
“Shut up! You’re just some kid, stay out of this!”
What an infuriating person!
I was willing to hear him out!
Fine, if that’s his attitude, I’ve got my own ways of handling this!
“Talat! Bind him up again!”
(Are you sure? We just freed him.)
“I’m sure! He needs to understand his position!”
(Got it.)
Threads spun from Talat, entangling Gid.
Talat’s silk is far stronger than those ropes.
He won’t be escaping!
Especially with the thread still attached to Talat’s rear.
“What the—?! Damn it, let me go!”
“Nope. You’re going to answer my questions.”
“Ugh, you really are a brat.”
“Better a brat than someone who can’t even rise to a Red-rank adventurer.”
“Ugh... you’re really hitting where it hurts…”
“Because it’s true, isn’t it?”
At that, Gid fell silent.
He seemed to be reflecting on something, and when he spoke again, his tone was more weary than defiant.
“… I’d climb up if I could. But I haven’t been lucky with companions, and I can’t even tell the difference between good and bad gear. Now I’ve ended up in a scam like this. How did things get so bad…?”
Seems like he’s had a rough time.
But hardship isn’t an excuse for turning to crime.
He still has proper equipment, so he must’ve earned at least some money.
This means he gave in to weakness, and that’s why he fell into this trap.
He’ll need to be retrained from scratch.
“Gid, how about coming back to us? If you return now and work as a crafter, you could…”
“Stop it, Mom. I left that life behind. I’m not going to quit adventuring now.”
“Gid…”
Looks like he’s not ready to give up being an adventurer.
Well, in that case, we’ll have to help him out.
“Hey, Keuko. Can the Wildcat Claws team help train Gid?”
“Huh? It’s possible, but we can’t leave you unguarded, Lady Lily…”
“No worries. My team and I can cover that. You don’t all have to teach him at once—just take turns in pairs and teach him various skills.”
“I see. In that case, it might work. But are you sure Lady Lily will be alright without us?”
“It’ll be fine, right, Alizée?”
“As long as Plum’s team covers for you, it should be fine. Plus, Gid will have to pay a fine for his involvement in this scam, so he’ll need to earn the money anyway.”
Whoa, I’d forgotten about the fine.
That’s pretty tough.
Anyway, Gid’s situation is settled for now.
His equipment will be re-evaluated by the Gleam of Molten Iron team.
They’ll know what kind of gear is suitable.
Now, back to the main topic.
“So, Mrs. Rajah, would you consider taking Anny as your apprentice? She’s been training on her own, so she has some bad habits, but her skills are quite good.”
I pulled out one of the accessories I’d just bought from my backpack and handed it to Rajah.
She examined it closely before giving her verdict.
“It’s rough in places. Her basics need work. But the piece has its own charm. Alright, Anny, pack your things and come here tomorrow. I’ll take you in as an apprentice.”
“Really?! Thank you so much!”
“No, the thanks goes to you. I had planned on closing this workshop in my lifetime…”
“Huh?”
“But once you’ve honed your skills, I’ll pass it on to you. So, make sure to work hard!”
“Yes, Ma’am!”
Looks like everything’s fallen into place.
My shop now has a supplier for accessories, which is a stroke of luck.
Alizée will handle the finer details of the arrangement, so I’ll leave that to her.
For now, I think I’ll browse the current collection and find a brooch for Plum.
Who knew picking out accessories could be so exciting?
What do you think about this chapter?
