vs. The Drunks
"Ah, this is the place. My favorite spot for delicious sashimi."
The restaurant Guts led us to was bustling with activity. Even though it was lunchtime, the local youths were already drinking and partying.
"Hey, isn’t that Guts? Long time no see! Gahaha, what’s with you? Got a thing for little kids now? You're hanging around with some real cuties, huh?"
"Come on, have a drink with us. Don’t tell me you can’t handle my booze!"
Just as expected, the drunks started bothering us. One of them staggered over toward Joan and—
"Hey there, sweetheart. Pour me a drink, will ya? You can manage that much, right?"
Just as he tried to pull me close by the shoulder, Zack—who was next to me—grabbed the drunk’s arm and twisted it. At the same time, Sarah and Anny quickly pulled me back, while Kira stepped forward protectively in front of us all.
"Would you mind not touching the young lady so casually?"
Zack spoke with a smile, but his eyes were far from friendly.
"Owowow, what the hell? Acting all tough, you little punk! Tch."
The drunk whose arm was twisted complained to Zack and spat at him. As Zack moved to avoid the spit and let his guard down for a moment, the drunk landed a punch. Zack was sent flying into a nearby table, hit hard, and passed out.
“””Zack!”””
“Hey! That’s enough! Hitting a kid?! Are you serious?!”
Guts rushed in to stop them but was grabbed by the collar by the drunk.
"Look at you now, Guts. Acting all big and mighty. I can’t believe the weakling from back then has the guts to talk back to us."
"I-I'm not the same as I was. I’ve changed!"
"Shut the hell up! You’ve only grown in size, that’s all! You were always our lackey, and that’s all you’ll ever be!"
Just as the drunk was about to hit Guts, Kira stepped in and caught the man’s arm.
"That's enough! Knock it off, you drunk!"
The drunk tried to shake Kira’s hand off, but couldn’t. He eventually let go of Guts.
“Ah!”
Focused on Guts and the others, I didn’t notice the presence behind me—and was grabbed by another drunk.
“””Young lady!!”””
"Stay still if you don’t want this kid getting hurt."
Hearing that, both Guts and Kira were helplessly beaten down, unable to fight back.
"Gahaha! Serves you right!"
The drunk holding me laughed mockingly.
Because I’d been caught, Guts and Kira couldn’t resist. What do I do…? Oh! I remember something I saw on TV—self-defense techniques. Can I do it? His arm’s wrapped around my neck, so in that case…
Chomp! “Ow!”
While he flinched, I slammed my head back—Thunk!
“Ugh!”
And then, I escaped. Yes! I pulled it off!!
I quickly put distance between me and the drunk.
"You little brat—!"
The drunk who had grabbed me rushed at me again. I ran straight at him, jumped onto a nearby chair, and launched myself into the air. In midair, I wrapped one arm around his neck and used the weight of my body to throw him backward. He slammed into the floor, hitting the back of his head and passed out cold.
[And there it is! The Diving Neckbreaker!!]All those years of watching pro-wrestling on TV weren’t for nothing!
Thank you, Mr. Msawa in green trunks~
Guts and the others used the confusion to turn the tables on the drunks and had already subdued them. Sarah and Anny were tending to Zack, helping him to his feet. Everyone had seen what I did, from start to finish—and they were all struck speechless in shock. The drunks now restrained by Guts, the onlookers, even the restaurant staff, were all staring, mouths agape.
"Um... is everyone okay?"
I tilted my head cutely and asked.
"Young lady! What are you doing?!"
After that, the three drunks were taken away by other members of our private guard. According to Guts, normally they’d just wait for them to sober up and give them a warning or punishment—but since they had harmed me, they were being taken straight to Grandmother. … Those guys… I kinda feel sorry for them now.
And then...
"Wow, little miss! That was amazing. You really surprised me. Here, eat this—on the house!"
"Hey, young lady, you train or something?"
"Guts is one thing, but that young guy’s pretty strong too! Built like a tank."
"Kid, you were cool!!"
People around us started praising me and our group, offering us all kinds of food. Even the restaurant owner came up to us.
"Truly, thank you. We’ve been struggling with those three for a while now. Don’t worry about the bill. And of course, anything you can’t finish, we’ll wrap it up for you."
"Zack, are you hurt anywhere?"
"My head took a hit. Kinda hurts a bit."
"Pain, pain, go away—(First Aid).”
"Mm, thanks."
Next, Guts.
"Mr. Guts too—pain, pain, go away—(First Aid) How’s that?"
"Hm? Wait, huh? It doesn’t hurt anymore... Young lady, I’m sorry you had to see me like that. I used to be their lackey… they made me do stuff like extort people, even steal..."
Ah, so that’s the youthful mistake he was talking about earlier.
"And then, I got caught by the private guard and—"
"Let the past be the past. What matters is who you are now, right? And right now, you’re working hard as a member of the guard."
"Young lady... thank you."
"No need to thank me. More importantly—this sashimi is amazing, just like you said! Thanks for bringing us here."
"Joan really is something else."
"Agreed. Normally, after escaping, people don’t turn around and take out the one who had them."
"Also, what was that move? I’ve never seen anything like it..."
"Yeah, me neither. Where’d you learn something like that?"
"... Well, it's Joan, after all."
"Yeah, that’s our Joan."
Unaware of all the things everyone was saying about me, I happily indulged in a seafood feast.
What do you think about this chapter?
