第二十八話 賭けの対価
「ふざけるな! オレ様は中止だと言ったんだ! 勝敗はついていない!」
決闘後、案の定というかヒルデは鍛冶屋の中で大騒ぎしていた。
「キサマが止まらなかったから、仕方なく降参すると言ったんだ!」
「仕方なく言ってるじゃないか」
あそこで止まったら有耶無耶にされるからこそ、俺は鋼の意思で決闘を続行したのだ。
「......あのですね、ヒルデさん。相手のスキルを見てからマズいと思って決闘の中止を要請するのは、正当な理由だとはギルドとしては認められません。双方の合意が必要です。立会人として呼ばれた以上、従っていただけないと我々も面子を失うことになります。ギルドとしてできる限りの措置を取らせていただくことになりますよ」
マルチダがヒルデへとそう説明する。
「そ、そんなことはわかっている! 今更決闘を反故にするような、みみっちいことをオレ様が口にしていると思っているのか!」
正にそうではなかったのか。
俺が疑問に思っていると、ヒルデが俺へと勢いよく頭を下げた。
「......いいか、エルマ。オレ様は中止だと言ったんだ。その点をこう、考慮して、どうにか二千万ゴルドにならないか? 三千万ゴルドはきつすぎる。キサマも冒険者ならわかるだろう?」
「み、みみっちい......。そりゃ気持ちはわかりますけれど......」
ヒルデの小さい背を見て、ルーチェが呆れたようにそう零した。
「どうしてもオレ様は、オレ様のレベルに見合った武器を手にする必要がある。上級冒険者一人の成長は、都市の危機を救い、魔物の被害者を減らすことにも繋がる。オレ様には手段を選ばず上を目指すだけの使命がある。エルマ、キサマも冒険者ならばわかるはずだ。確かにやり口がよくなかったことは認めよう。そこの鍛冶師にも迷惑を掛けた。二度とこうした真似はしないと誓おう」
「わかればいい。レベルに見合った武器が手に入らない、焦燥や苛立ちはわかるさ。俺もいくらでも覚えがある」
俺は大きく頷いた。
〈マジックワールド〉でも、欲しい武器が手に入らない、なんてよくあることだった。
一番プレイヤーがモヤモヤする時間であり、だからこそ欲しい武器が手に入ったときが本当に楽しいのだ。
そしてこの世界でのそうした感情は、ゲーム時代の比ではない。
これも俺自身が散々体感してきたことだった。
だからまあ、その言葉はわからないわけではない。
「そこでどうにか二千万ゴルドにならないか?」
「ならない。俺も金銭が大事だから、負けたらミスリルの剣を失う覚悟で賭けに乗った。それは良し悪しやお前の反省とは全く別の話だ」
ヒルデが力なく肩を落とした。
魂の抜けたような顔をしている。
俺も麻痺して来てはいたが、三千万ゴルドはなかなか大した大金だ。
一攫千金の冒険者で大成功して成り上がってきたヒルデが、新武器のためにしばらく必死に金を貯めてようやく集まるだけの額だ。
俺もそれを丸ごともらうのは気が進まないが、元よりそういう賭けなのだ。
自分が負けたから条件を変えてくれ、なんて甘えた提案は通らない。
ヒルデは自分が勝っていれば、容赦なくミスリル剣を持って行っていただろう。
「な、なぁ、坊主よ。今言うのは少し気が引けておったんだが......」
ベルガが口を挟んできた。
「どうしたんだ?」
「いや、この剣だが......市場価値は三千万ゴルドではないぞ」
「あれ? そうなのか?」
主材料の〈ミスリルのインゴット〉が二千五百万ゴルドだったから、その辺りの値段に落ち着くはずだと思っていたのだが。
「も、もしかして、紛い物だったのか!」
途端にヒルデが活き活きとし始めてきた。
「ま、まぁ、市場価値はいくらでも確認できるから、勝手に各々が確認すればいいが......」
ベルガが店の奥へと移動し、青緑に輝く剣を両手で持って戻ってきた。
美しい刀身だ。
これが今から自分のものになると思っただけでも気分が高揚してくる。
しかし、三千万ゴルドではないとはどういうことか。
〈ミスリルの剣〉《推奨装備Lv:70》
【攻撃力:+46】
【市場価値:五千百五十万ゴルド】
強いマナの輝きを帯びた魔法剣。
高価な稀少金属であり、ミスリル装備を有しているだけで冒険者として一目置かれること間違いなし。
また、〈破壊の
〉の分も上乗せしなければならない。
元より、ヒルデの値段交渉を突っぱねた理由の一つが〈破壊の
すっかり頭から抜け落ちてしまっていた。
「うっかりしていたな。ヒルデ、五千百五十万ゴルドだった」
「ごっごごごご、五千百五十万ゴルドォ!? ふざっ、ふざけるな! 払えるわけがないだろう! なんだその馬鹿げた値段は!」
ヒルデが顔を真っ赤にして怒る。
「こんなの素直に了承できるわけがないだろうが! お願いしますどうにか四千万ゴルドにしてください!」
怒るのか下手に出るのか、どちらか片方にはできなかったのか。
「そもそも払えって言われても、無理だからな! これ......ここまで来たら! 残念だったな! いち冒険者がぽんと五千万ゴルドも出せるわけないだろ!」
「一応B級冒険者の方にでしたら、お金を貸し出すことはできますよ。充分返済能力があると認められますから。二千万ゴルドともなると、担保になるものをいただいたり、行動を制限させていただくことにもなるかもしれませんが」
マルチダの言葉にヒルデの顔が真っ青になった。
赤くなったり青くなったり、まるで重騎士だな。
「ア、アタシ、ちょっと可哀想になってきました......」
「そうだな......俺もあれこれと言ったが、正直、少しお灸を据えておいてやろうというのが一番の理由だったからな」
ヒルデの良し悪しや反省は関係ないとは言ったものの、正直あれは嘘になる。
ひとまず鍛冶屋には迷惑を掛けられなくしておこうという考えがあった。
「百五十万ゴルド負けて五千万ゴルドで手を打とう」
ヒルデはがっくりと深く項垂れた。
「エルマさん、あの、それあんまり負けてない......」
「ルーチェは感覚が麻痺してきているぞ。百五十万ゴルドは大金だ」
「いえ、あの......そうなんですけれど、それはちゃんとわかってはいるんですけれど、えっと......」
〈死神の凶手〉のためにある程度金銭を抱えておきたかったのだが、その心配はしなくてよさそうだ。
とりあえず五千万ゴルドの余裕資金があれば、〈破れた魔導書堂〉のようながめつい婆さんが相手でも、最低でも交渉の舞台には立つことができるはずだ。
Volume 2 - Ch 28
"Don't mess with me! I said to stop the whole thing! The outcome is not decided yet!"
After the duel, sure enough, Hilde was throwing a tantrum within the smithy.
"It was because you bastard didn't stop when I said to, I had no choice but to say that I concede!"
"You just said that you said it because you had no other choice."
Exactly because she could've contested the outcome if I stopped at that point is why I steeled myself and continued the duel for a little while more.
"....well, Hilde-san. Calling off the duel after seeing your opponent's Skills in effect is not a reason recognized by the Guild as valid. For that an agreement from both participants are needed. With the Guild called to serve as a witness, if you don't acquiesce to our ruling, then it would greatly hurt our reputation. Therefore the Guild will take sufficient measures to correct this state of affairs."
Maltida explained as such to Hilde.
"I-I know that much! Did you really think I was doing something petty like trying to annul the duel!?"
Wasn't that precisely what she was doing?
Just as I was questioning that, Hilde bowed her head to me.
".....listen, Elma. I tried to call off the duel. Can you count that in and let me off with 20 million gold? 30 million would be just too much for me. As an adventurer yourself, you should understand that, right?"
"H-how miserly..... Well, I know that feeling of course, but...."
Seeing Hilde's small stature, Luce grumbled.
"I need to find a weapon fit for my level at all costs. The development of a single high level adventurer leads to better protection for the city from dangers, and lower casualties from monsters. I have a duty to fulfill and I don't have the luxury of choosing my methods to achieve it. Elma, as an adventurer, you should be able to understand this too. I recognize that my way of doing things may not have been the best. I caused a lot of trouble for that blacksmith too. I vow to not do something like this again."
"It's good that you understand. I know what it's like to be angry and frustrated from being unable to find a suitable weapon for yourself. I also experienced that a few times before."
I agreed with a deep nod.
Not being able to get the weapon I wanted happened a lot in Magic World.
It was one of the most frustrating parts of playing the game, so it was especially sweet when I did manage to get the weapon I wanted.
Furthermore, the emotions such a situation elicits in this world is obviously much stronger than when it was just a game.
That is also something I already experienced plenty of times.
So, yeah, I can understand where she was coming from.
"So, could we call this even with 20 million gold?"
"We can't. I need the money too, that's why I accepted the duel even with the distinct possibility that I would lose the mythril sword if I lost. But, what's right and wrong, or the fact that you repented, doesn't have anything to do with the money you owe."
Hilde dropped her shoulders in despair.
She looked like her soul just left her body.
I've already become a bit numb to it, but 30 million gold is still quite a large sum.
It's a sum that a particularly successful up and coming adventurer like Hilde would need to desperately save up for a while in hopes of being able to afford a new weapon.
I myself don't feel particularly good about having it handed to me, but that was the wager we agreed to.
I can't accept her plea to change the terms after the fact, just because she lost.
If Hilde were the one to win, then she most likely would've taken the mythril sword without a second thought.
"H-hey, kid. I feel a bit awkward bringing this up now, but...."
Berga interjected into the conversation.
"What is it?"
"Well, this sword, you see.....Its Market Value is not 30 million gold."
"Hmm? Really?"
Since the main ingredient was the Mythril Ingot for it, which was 25 million gold, I thought its value would end up around that much.
"W-was it a fake all along!?"
Hilde suddenly got all energetic.
"W-well, you can easily check the Market Value by yourselves, so I suggest all of you just do that...."
Berga moved further into the shop, then he brought a sword shining with a bluish-green light, holding it with both hands.
It had a beautiful blade.
I felt elated just by the knowledge that this was about to become mine.
However, what was it about not having a 30 million gold Market Value?
<Mythril Sword> <<Recommended Level: 70>> 
[(Attack:+46)] 
[(Market Value: 51.5 million gold)] 
A magical sword that shines with a strong light of mana.
It's made of Mythril, a valuable rare metal. People are certain to give you greater respect as an adventurer if you have this on you.
Also, there is a Rune of Destruction embedded in it.
Come to think of it, the price of the Rune of Destruction needs to be counted in too.
One of the reasons I blew off Hilde's first offer was because of the Rune that was embedded in the sword.
I completely forgot about that just now.
"Oh, my bad. Hilde, it was 51.5 million gold."
"Fffff- 51.5 million gold!? D-don't mess with me! There is no way I could pay that! What's with that stupid price!"
Hilde's face was crimson red from anger.
"That's not a price I can just simply nod to and accept! Please, make it 40 million gold at least!"
Couldn't she decide between the angry or groveling approach at least?
"Even if you tell me to pay that much, I can't! Too....too bad for you, hah! How could a single adventurer pay 50 million gold just like that!"
"For B rank adventurers and above, we are able to loan a certain amount of money, since their ability to pay it back is recognized. Although with 20 million gold in question, there may be a need for an item as collateral or have your movements restricted."
Hearing Maltida's words, Hilde's face went bluish pale.
Turning red and blue, it's like she's a Heavy Knight.
"I-I'm starting to feel a bit bad for her....."
"I guess so....I said various things too, but honestly, my main objective was to just rake her over the coals a bit."
I said I didn't care about right and wrong, or that she has repented already, but that was a lie.
My main aim was to prevent her from making any more trouble for the smithy in the future.
"I'll take that 1.5 million gold off and call it even with 50 million gold."
Hilde dropped her head even further.
"Elma-san, uhm, that's not that much of a discount....."
"Luce, you money sense is starting to go numb. 1.5 million gold is a lot of money."
"No that, uhm....That's true, I know that, but uhm....."
I wanted to save some money for eventually getting the [Reaper Assassin] in the future, but it seems we won't need to worry about it.
For the time being, with an extra 50 million gold in pocket, we should be able to at least start the negotiations for it, even if we are up against someone like that greedy grandma from the Broken Grimoire Company.
The Reincarnated Heavy Knight Who Was Exiled After A Supposed Big Miss Is Unparalleled With His Game Knowledge
大ハズレだと追放された転生重騎士はゲーム知識で無双する
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-reincarnated-heavy-knight-who-was-exiled-after-a-supposed-big-miss-is-unparalleled-with-his-game-knowledge/
Action Adventure Fantasy Romance Shounen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alchemy Arrogant Characters Artifacts Blacksmith Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Determined Protagonist Dungeons Fallen Nobility Fantasy World Game Elements Guilds Hot-blooded Protagonist Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Lucky Protagonist Male Protagonist Mystery Solving Naive Protagonist Nobles Poor to Rich Previous Life Talent Reincarnated in a Game World Romantic Subplot Skill Books Strategic Battles Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Sword Wielder Underestimated Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8465gx/
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