All’s Well That Ends Well
Just as the men reached for Joan and Belle, a crackling *bzzzt* rang out, and they all collapsed to the ground. Looked like Pearl had shocked them.
"Are you alright?"
Brother Gene and Pearl ran over.
"Yeah, we are fine… Thanks, Pearl."
(I’m just glad everyone’s safe)
Brother Gene and Zack started tying up the men.
"That’s that! Now we’ll leave the rest to the private soldiers."
We left the men where they lay and headed back to the guild.
When we reached the entrance, a crowd had gathered. Among them were three restrained men—and Young Master Eric, Zoey, and Sarah.
"Eric."
"Oh, you’re done on your side too?"
"Yeah, nice and easy. We left those guys behind, but brought back their four guild plates."
"Alright, then I’ll leave them to the private soldiers too. Gail, I’m counting on you."
"Sir!! … And you brats did well too."
Gail patted our heads before running off with the other soldiers.
"He still hasn’t noticed, huh?"
"Right?"
After handing the restrained men over to the private soldiers, we went inside the guild. At the counter, we were directed to the Guildmaster’s office.
"Young Master Eric, Young Master Gene, I sincerely apologize for the trouble. And to those who acted as decoys as well… thank you so much."
"Then I’d like you to update the guild plates of the decoys with the completed request info, and pay the reward."
"Yes, however… the reward sum was offered by Lady Lampail. For those who are not the young lady herself… well…"
"You mean you won’t pay the full reward?"
"I’m afraid so."
"And what does my uncle say about that?"
"The Lord and Lady Isabella told me to negotiate with the decoys directly…"
"Hoh. What do you say, Sho?"
Young Master Eric and Brother Gene, barely holding back their laughter, tossed the matter to me.
“Umm… The reward was four large platinum coins, plus three small platinum coins per captured culprit. We caught seven. So, that’s eight large platinum coins and one small. I heard it’s to be split among the five of us here."
"Well, but that’s only if Lady Lampail herself handled it—"
Before the Guildmaster could finish, I stood, removed my wig, placed my right hand on my chest, and bowed—not wearing a skirt this time.
"That Lady Lampail would be me. Any problem with that?"
"Wha—!!"
"Since I’m the one who handled it, you’ll be paying in full, won’t you?"
"Ah… um…"
"You just said so yourself, didn’t you? If you’ve forgotten, we can always check the still-recording magic tools."
To keep evidence of the capital adventurers’ words and actions, Sarah wore a hairpin-type recorder and I wore a button-type one.
"… We’ll make the payment."
"Good. While you prepare, lend me the letter teleportation circle."
"Eh… to Morgan?"
"No. To my father."
"!! … R-right this way."
After the Guildmaster left, I pulled from storage a letter I’d already written, placed it on the circle, and sent it straight to Father’s office.
"What’d you write?"
"That Belle’s family has been treating me really well, but thanks to Morgan, the Guildmaster here dragged me into trouble. So I made a bit of pocket money. That’s fair, right?"
"Pfft… yeah, that’s not wrong."
"And in a postscript to Nancy, I asked her to rein in Morgan, since he’s apparently been bragging to other guildmasters too♡"
""""""Ahh, he’s finished.""""""
The Guildmaster later returned and paid the reward in full, updated our plates, and we learned we might even qualify for promotion exams over summer break. Zack, Belle, and I high-fived at the thought.
"Eric… starting tomorrow, we’re going to the guild."
"Yeah. This is a serious matter."
＊＊＊＊＊
Back at Belle’s house, we reported in the reception room.
"… And that’s how it ended safely."
"Well done, Eric. And thank you, Young Master Gene and everyone. By the way, Don was still grumbling about the reward at the end. How did that turn out? Isabella said we should leave it to you all. Did you get it properly?"
"Yes. At first, he kept insisting that reward sum was only if Lady Lampail handled it, but in the end, he paid in full."
"What!? That miser actually paid? Eric, how’d you manage that?"
"Brother Hans, it wasn’t me. Sho handled the negotiations."
At Young Master Eric’s words, Belle’s father and Hans both turned sharply to me.
"Sho. Tell us how you pulled it off."
Belle’s father asked, and Hans nodded.
"Ah, it wasn’t anything complicated. He just kept saying only if Lady Lampail handled it…"
"Uh-huh, uh-huh."
"So I stood up like this…"
"Uh-huh, uh-huh."
"Took this off and said, “That Lady Lampail would be me. Any problem with that?”"
When Joan removed her wig, Belle’s father and Hans exclaimed,
""Ehhhhh!? Lady Joan!?""
"And that’s how we got the full amount."
"Wait… then Bill is…"
"Father, Brother, when are you going to notice already?"
""Belleee!?""
"Yes, it’s me, Belle. Any problem with that?"
"Ehehe… Nicely done."
"Thank you, Lady Isabella."
"It was fun thanks to you, Aunt."
"I’m glad."
Seeing them chat, Belle’s father muttered,
"So Isabella was the ringleader… What if Belle or Young Lady Joan had gotten hurt?"
"Oh, but isn’t it a bit concerning that you didn’t even notice your own daughters?"
"That’s right, Brother. And really, these two weren’t going to lose. Proof is Eric and Young Master Gene lost to them themselves."
"… Uncle, Jean and I only realized it was Belle and Joan after losing. Their skill is real."
"Count Burst, I too kept quiet because I trusted Joan and Belle. Pearl was with them as well."
With Belle’s mother, Lady Isabella, Young Master Eric, and Brother Gene all saying this, Belle’s father, who hadn’t even recognized his daughters in disguise, could only fold.
"Mmph… Well, I suppose it’s fine since nothing happened."
And with that, all’s well that ends well.
What do you think about this chapter?
