レビンとハザワが何か言いたそうにコルベを見ている。それに気付いたコルベがシェリルに話す。
「ちょっと離れてもらっても良いか? ほら、俺達にも予算ってのがあってな」
まりました。何かあればお呼びください」
シェリルが軽く会釈してコルベ達から離れていく。するとレビンとハザワがコルベの
「なあ、お前の策って、要は遺物の転売か? ここで遺物を仕入れて別の場所で高値で売り払う。そういうことか?」
「乱暴に説明するならな。お前もハンター稼業は長い方だ。旧世界の遺物の目利きも素人ってわけじゃないだろう」
レビンが不安げに不満げに話す。
「そうは言っても、俺にはその元手もないんだぞ? 転売先の当てだってない。第一、手に入れた遺物はカツラギの店で売り払う契約になっている。カツラギに買い
「それと、俺の情報が確かならこの店は最近開店したばかりだ。常連獲得のために今は通常より値引きをしている可能性もある。店員の経験不足で遺物の値段設定が適当になっている可能性もある。この店には掘り出し物があると宣伝させるために、本来の価値を知った上で意図的に安値を付けている品が混ざっている可能性もある。賭け事には違いないが、今なら期待値は悪くないはずだ」
レビンの隣で話を聞いていたハザワが納得したように
く行けば、レビンの借金の一括返済も夢じゃないわけか」
ハザワの話を聞いたレビンが真剣な表情で並べられている遺物を凝視し始めた。コルベがその様子を見て苦笑しながら話す。
「まあ、入場料を払って入ったんだ。安値のやつで良いから最低1つは何か買っていけ。この後に向かう転売先で売り払う遺物が全く無しじゃ話にならないからな」
「ああ。分かった」
レビンが真剣な声でコルベ達の方へ顔を向けずに返事をした。視線は白いシーツの上に並べられている遺物とその値段に
コルベとハザワは顔を見合わせて苦笑すると、自分達も遺物の物色に加わった。
コルベ達が購入する遺物を選び終えた。その総額は100万オーラムほどで、大半はコルベの分の代金だ。レビンは総額で10万オーラムほどの遺物を選んでいた。
ハザワが選んだのは1組のトランプだった。トランプはしっかりと密閉されているケースに入った未開封品で、旧世界時代に製造されたにも
手ぶらで帰るのは気が引けるが、だからといって余り金を使いたくない。しかし購入額が入場料を下回るのも馬鹿馬鹿しい。そんな内心がなければ、ハザワもこのトランプを買う気にはなれなかっただろう。
コルベがシェリルに尋ねる。
「支払い方法は選べるのか? できればハンター証で支払いたいんだが」
まりました。ではハンター証をお預かりします」
コルベがシェリルにハンター証を渡す。シェリルはハンター証を受け取ると、ハンター証での支払いに対応した端末でコルベのハンター証を読み取る。端末を操作して支払い手続きを済ませると、コルベにハンター証を丁寧に返却した。
コルベは自分の情報端末を操作して自分の口座情報から支払い内容を確認する。その内容に問題がないことを確認して、欲しい情報を得られたことを確認して薄く笑ったが、すぐに表情を戻した。
買い物を済ませたコルベ達がシェリルに見送られて部屋から出る。部屋の外ではティオルが待っていて、そのまま建物の裏口まで案内する。建物の外に出たところで、ティオルがコルベ達に尋ねる。
「一応聞いておくけど、表通りまで送る必要はあるか?」
コルベが答える。
「いや、大丈夫だ。......いや、やっぱり頼もう。送ってくれ」
コルベ達はティオルと一緒に表通りまで歩いていく。ハザワが不思議そうにしながらコルベに尋ねる。
送ってもらわなくても良いんじゃないか? スラム街の路地裏とはいえ、こんな場所で3人組のハンターを襲うやつはいないだろう」
「良いじゃないか。善意には甘えておこう。こんな場所で迷ったら大変だ。何せこの辺りには、その3人組のハンターの内の2人が入るのを
「い、いや、あれはただの用心だ。俺はそういうことに慎重なんだ」
「俺もちょっと慎重だった。それで良いだろう?」
「......ま、まあ、そうだな」
コルベは雑談をしながら周囲の様子を探っていた。コルベ達やティオルを見る周囲の者達の視線。その視線を浴びているティオルの態度。そこから導き出される周辺の者達のシェリル達への評価。全て有益な情報だ。
少なくとも周囲の者達はティオルを、シェリル達を、ただの子供だと侮ってはいない。侮蔑の視線を向ける者も、そこには
「それで、この後はどうするんだ? この遺物を金に換える手段も用意してあるんだろう?」
「ああ。その手の換金に都合の良い店がある。黒銀屋だ」
コルベの返事を聞き、レビンとハザワが
黒銀屋とは、東部の各都市に広く展開している旧世界の遺物の買取り業者だ。黒銀屋は質屋も兼業しており、金に困ったハンターが担保に様々な遺物を持ち込むことでも有名だ。多種多様な旧世界の遺物の鑑定眼も高く、特定の旧世界の遺物を求める個人や企業からの評価も高い。
ハンターオフィスの買い取り所は、基本的に東部の企業が旧世界の技術を解析する
「安心しろ。その手の対策もある。最悪でも鑑定料と相殺で済む。行くぞ」
コルベは釈然としない顔をしているレビンとハザワを連れて黒銀屋に向かった。
クガマヤマ都市の下位区画は防壁に近いほどに治安も良く地価も高い。黒銀屋はその防壁と接した場所に店舗を出していた。黒銀屋の企業規模が
黒銀屋に着いたコルベ達が遺物の買取りの手続きを始める。コルベは先ほど手に入れた旧世界の遺物の一部を、レビンとハザワは全てを買取りに出した。
コルベが黒銀屋の店員に遺物の買取り方法を話す。
「ヴィオラの代理人として鑑定を頼む。鑑定時間は最短で、買取り前提。支払いは現金で頼む。3人それぞれ別会計にしてくれ」
まりました。お預かりした遺物の鑑定に3時間ほどお時間を頂きます。鑑定が済み次第、こちらからコルベ様に御連絡いたします。こちらが預かり証となります。紛失されますと鑑定後の手続きに支障を来し、最悪の場合はお客様にお預かりした遺物も、買取りの代金もお渡しできない恐れが御座います。十分にお気を付けください」
黒銀屋の店員がそう言ってコルベに預かり証を渡した。預かり証は薄いカードで、電子的にも物理的にも複製や
「ヴィオラの代理人で鑑定を頼んでいたが、ヴィオラって誰だ?」
「ちょっとした知り合いだ。ヴィオラは黒銀屋の会員で、今月の無料鑑定利用回数が余っているって聞いたから、ちょっと、まあ、そういうことだ。現金払いを頼んだのもそのためだ。振り込みで頼むと、ヴィオラの口座に振り込まれるからな」
黒銀屋の店員も特に何も言わなかった。仮に厳密には規約違反であっても暗黙の了解があるのだろう。レビンも借金を抱える身だ。その借金を返す手段であれば、一々指摘する気などない。
コルベ達は待ち時間の潰し方を相談しながら黒銀屋を出て行った。
シェリルはコルベ達が遺物販売用の部屋から出て行った後、アキラと一緒に自室に戻っていた。
自室に戻ったシェリルが着替え始める。この服を着るのは接客時のみ。それ以外の時は別の服を着る。この服を着ることに慣れてしまい、うっかり汚したりしないように十分注意する。非常に高価な服であることを、大切な服であることを忘れないようにする。シェリルはそう決めていた。
シェリルが服を1枚ずつ丁寧に脱いでいく。急いで着替える必要はない。服を傷めないようにゆっくり脱いでいく。途中まで服を脱いだ状態で手を止めてアキラの様子を
シェリルの自室に着替え用の間仕切りなどはないので、同じ部屋に一緒にいるアキラはシェリルが着替えている様子を見ることができる。アキラは部屋のソファーに座り、情報端末を操作していた。
シェリルがアキラに呼びかける。
アキラが視線を情報端末からシェリルに移した。着替えている途中で少々服を
シェリルがアキラの様子を確認する。呼ばれたから顔を向けた。アキラからそれ以上の感情を読み取ることはできなかった。
シェリルは内心で
く私達の手助けをしてもらえてとても助かります。ありがとう御座います。それで、アキラは私達にいつ頃まで付き合っていただけるんですか?」
「ミハゾノ街遺跡での仕事の報酬が振り込まれて、その報酬でいろいろやることを済ませるまでは都市に
シェリルが着替えを続ける。アキラは視線を情報端末に戻した。
シェリルが服を脱ぎ終わり、下着姿で接客用の服をクローゼットに
最近のシェリルの普段着は、カシェアの店でアキラに選んでもらった服だ。価格の割に良い品で、シェリルの美貌を引き立てる服である。服を実際に選んだのはアルファなのだが、シェリルはアキラが選んだものだと思って大切にしていた。
シェリルは服を手に取り、そこで再び手を止めた。シェリルがアキラに再び呼びかける。
アキラが再び視線を情報端末からシェリルに移した。均整の取れた魅力的な体型の下着姿の美少女を、アキラはしっかりと視界に収めている。
シェリルは自分の姿を見るアキラの様子を再び確認したが、結果は先ほどと同じだった。アキラはシェリルの姿に
「......先ほどの遺物の売上げですけど、アキラの口座にすぐに振り込んだ方が良いですか?」
「いや、別に急がない。後で、余裕がある時で良いぞ」
「でも、アキラもいろいろ費用が必要ですよね。ハンターは弾薬費などがかなり掛かると聞きます。
シェリルはアキラに意図的に着替えている自分の姿を見せていた。その姿にアキラが多少なりとも興味を示すことを期待したのだが、残念ながら期待外れの結果に終わった。
シェリルは一度アキラと一緒に風呂に入っている。その時もアキラはシェリルの裸を見ても気にも
(......私って、私が思うほどの魅力はないのかしら。徒党の皆の態度から判断する限りは、私はそれなりに誘える容姿のはずなんだけど......。私の容姿も所詮はスラム街の基準でなら高水準ってことかしら。でも、アキラも最近までスラム街で生活していたらしいし、そういう美的感覚の基準ってすぐに変わってしまうものなのかしら。それにさっきのハンター達にも私はそれなりに受けが良かったはず。分からないわ......)
シェリルは表向きアキラの恋人だ。そのことは多くのことを保証している。徒党のボスの座。徒党全体の安全。カツラギ達やシジマ達との取引。全てアキラという強力な戦力を前提としたものだ。
本当にアキラの恋人ならば、シェリルはもっと安心できるだろう。だがシェリルはアキラの恋人ではない。精々友人止まりだ。少々縁のある知人という程度かもしれない。アキラの
親密になった分だけ、アキラも少しは自分の体に興味を持つようになったかもしれない。シェリルはそう考えていたのだが、アキラの態度から判断する限り、今のところシェリルの体に興味は全くないようだ。
シェリルは着替えを終えると、そのままアキラの隣に座った。アキラは隣に座ったシェリルをちらっと見て、特に気にした様子を見せずに再び情報端末に視線を戻した。シェリルがアキラに寄りかかっても、アキラはシェリルに文句を言ったりせずに、情報端末に意識を向け続けている。
コルベ達が黒銀屋で鑑定の済んだ遺物の代金を受け取ろうとしていた。
黒銀屋の店員がコルベ達に彼らが持ち込んだ遺物の鑑定結果を話す。
「別会計を御希望とのことでしたので、それぞれ個別に順に対応させていただきます。では、コルベ様から始めさせていただきます。コルベ様。鑑定の結果、残念ながら当店が値を付ける品は含まれておりませんでした。鑑定料は無料とさせていただきます。お預かりした品は
レビンは自分の名前が呼ばれると期待を込めた目で店員を見る。店員はその類いの目で見られることに慣れているので気にせずに話を続ける。
「鑑定の結果、鑑定料と相殺して1万オーラムと査定させていただきました。お受け取りください」
店員が1万オーラムをトレーに乗せてレビンの前に出す。レビンはそれを見て力なく
店員がトレイを戻すと、続けて話す。
「最後に、ハザワ様」
レビンの惨状を見たハザワは別段期待せずに結果を待っていた。しかし店員の次の言葉を聞いて
「鑑定の結果、鑑定料と相殺して150万オーラムと査定させていただきました。お受け取りください」
驚きで固まっているコルベ達の前に、店員が再びトレーを出す。トレーの上には150万オーラムが、帯を巻いた札束が確かに乗っている。ハザワが1万オーラムで買ったトランプに、黒銀屋は150万オーラムの値を付けた。相殺した鑑定料を加えれば、黒銀屋はたった1組のトランプにそれ以上の値を付けたことになる。
「大当たりじゃないか。やるな。どんな基準で遺物を選んだんだ? ぴんと来るものでもあったのか?」
「......い、いや、俺は適当に選んだだけだ」
「つまり運が良かっただけか。......良し! 今日はお前の
コルベは笑顔でハザワを押し切ろうとする。ハザワがやれやれといった態度で機嫌良く答える。
「分かったよ。お前の策に乗った結果だしな」
「な、何であれが150万オーラムもするんだ!? たかがトランプだろう!?」
あんなものに150万オーラムの値が付くのであれば、自分が持ち込んだ遺物も高値が付いても良いはずだ。レビンは動揺と混乱から立ち直っていない上にその思いに突き動かされて、自身を納得させる理由を求めて店員に詰め寄るように声を荒らげていた。
「当店の信頼の置ける鑑定の結果で御座います。当店の鑑定人は、お客様が持ち込まれた遺物の価値を正しく高く評価する
「同意は構わねえけど、情報料って幾らだ?」
「3名様で30万オーラムになります。なお、情報は担当者の口頭による提供となります。また、内容の録音や、情報を第三者へ再提供することは御遠慮願います。当店が提供した情報をお客様が意図的に拡散していると当店が判断した場合、相応の対応を取らざるを得ません。くれぐれも御注意ください」
「同意はしてやるが、情報料は自分で払えよ?
「駄目だ。俺だって金は要るんだ。お前の分は自分で払え。コルベ、お前もだからな。俺は俺の分しか払わねえからな」
レビンがハザワを説得しようと試みる。
ハザワもそこまで甘くないようだ。
「手持ちがないなら俺が立て替えてやるよ。お前の借金に加えておいてやる。今更10万オーラム増えたところで大して違いはないだろう? で、どうする?」
レビンは非常に悩んだ末にコルベの提案を受け入れた。レビンの借金がまた少し増えることになった。
Revin and Hazawa were looking in Colbert's direction, their gazes indicated that they had something they wanted to say. Colbert noticed that, so he asked Sheryl to give him some space for a bit.
"Would it be okay if you leave us for a bit? There are a lot of things that we need to talk about you see, like the budget and stuff."
"Of course, please do call me if you need anything."
Sheryl excused herself and left them alone. Hazawa and Revin then came to Colbert.
"Say, your plan, it is basically buying and reselling relics? Are you planning to buy relics here and sell them somewhere else at a better price?"
"Well, to put it simply, yes. You've been working as a Hunter for a long time, so I'm sure, unlike those amateurs, you can discern which relics are valuable relics, right?"
Revin seemed worried as he said.
"Even if you say so, it's not like I have the money, you know? And I don't know where to resell them either. In the first place, I'm contracted to sell all the relics that I have to Katsuragi. Although that guy is also the one who forces me to keep buying stuff from him."
"And also, if my information is correct, this shop just opened recently, so they might be selling the relics with a discount to attract customers. There's also a chance that they don't have a strict evaluation to decide the prices of the relics since they are inexperienced to do that yet. They might also sell some relics at a low price on purpose to show their customers that they might find some hidden gems in this place. It's true that it's still a gamble, but I think we have good odds in this gamble."
Hazawa who was listening next to Revin nodded, it seemed that he was convinced by Colbert's explanation. He then said.
"I see, if we're lucky, Revin might be able to pay his debt in one go."
After listening to what Hazawa just said, Revin started checking the relics there seriously. Colbert who saw that just smiled bitterly.
"Well, I did pay the entrance money for you, so at least buy one thing before we leave this place. It would be meaningless if we go to a relic selling store after this if we don't have any relics to sell."
"Yeah, I know."
Revin replied with a serious tone without looking back at Colbert and Hazawa. He had his eyes fixed on the prices of the relics lined up on the white sheets in front of him. He seemed to be rather desperate.
Colbert and Hazawa looked at each other and smiled bitterly before joining Revin in looking for good relics.
They eventually decided on the relics that they wanted to buy and spent about 1,000,000 Aurum, half of it was paid with Colbert's money. Revin only picked some relics that cost him 100,000 Aurum in total.
The one that Hazawa picked was a box of trump cards, the cards were still inside the sealed container. Although it was an old-world ruin, it seemed unscathed. Its original selling price was 10,000 Aurum, a rather expensive price even for an old-world relic like that one.
The only reason why Hazawa bought it was because he did not want to leave that place without buying anything, but at the same time, he did not want to spend too much money there, and it would be stupid if the price of the relic that he bought there was less than the entrance fee.
Colbert then asked Sheryl.
"Is it okay if we pay through our Hunter ID?"
"Very well. Please let me borrow your Hunter ID then."
Colbert handed over his Hunter ID. Sheryl received it, used a terminal to read Colbert's Hunter ID, and operated the terminal to complete the transaction. After that, she politely returned Colbert's Hunter ID.
Colbert checked his own information terminal and checked his account to see if the payment properly went through. After confirming that there was no problem, he smiled lightly since he confirmed that he got the information he was looking for, but his expression immediately returned back to normal.
After they finished buying their relics, they then left that room. Tiol was waiting for them outside the room, he then guided Colbert and his friends back to the back door of that building. Not too long after they left that building, Tiol asked them a question.
"Let me ask you one more time, is there really any need for me to guide you back all the way to the main street?"
Colbert answered that question.
"Nah, it's fine... Wait, on second thought, please do."
All of them then headed back to the main street. Hazawa found that reply a bit weird, so he questioned Colbert.
"It's not like there's any need for him to guide us back, no? Although we're in the back alley of the slum city, I'm pretty sure none of them are stupid enough to attack a group of 3 Hunters, you know."
"It's fine, isn't it? It's a good thing to accept others' goodwill. It would be really bad if we get lost here after all. Not to mention, the other 2 Hunters in our group were even hesitating to go inside that big building."
"W-well, I was just being careful, you see. I'm someone who is really careful when it comes to something like that."
"Just so you know, I was being careful too, yeah?"
"...O-of course, I bet you were."
Colbert was also keeping his eyes on his surroundings while talking as they walked with Tiol through the alleys of the slum city. He was checking how the people around them looked at Tiol and his group, and how Tiol was reacting to all the attention that was directed at him. From there, Colbert could more or less check how the people around that area saw Sheryl's gang. All of these were valuable information.
At the least, the people in that area did not see Tiol or Sheryl's gang as mere children. Some of them did look at Sheryl's gang with contempt, but there was a trace of envy and caution mixed in those gazes. It showed that Sheryl's gang had enough influence for other people to be envious and cautious of them.
"So then, where to go after this? I bet you already have a plan where to sell these relics, right?"
"Yeah, I know just the right place to sell these relics, it's the Kurogin."
Revin and Hazawa looked surprised when they heard Colbert's answer.
The Kurogin was a company that specialized in trading relics, it had multiple branches in the eastern district. It was also famous as a pawnshop company where Hunters with debt problems used to go to pawn their relics. Their ability in appraising all kinds of relics was top-notch and they had good reviews from people and companies who were looking for a certain type of relics.
The exchange centres owned by the Hunter Office basically existed to help the Corporate Government of the eastern district to gather and analyze old-world technology, thus it had the tendency to prioritized more for relics with technological value. As such, when the Hunters brought relics with artistic value to those exchange centres, in the end, the people who would appraise those relics were amateurs, not someone who was knowledgeable in that subject.
"Don't worry, I have a plan for that too. In the worst-case scenario, it will stop at zero and won't go to minus. So, let's go."
Colbert then just dragged Revin and Hazawa, who were still dumbfounded, to head to Kurogin.
The closer an area to the defensive wall of Kugamayama city, the safer it would be, and of course, the more expensive the plot would be. In the lower district, there was a Kurogin branch that was directly connected with the wall, it showed just how powerful the Kurogin company was.
When Colbert and his friends arrived, they immediately started the administration works to sell their relics. Colbert only submitted a portion of the relics that he had brought, while Hazawa and Revin submitted all the relics that they had.
Colbert then said to the Kurogin's clerk.
"I'm here to appraise these relics in place of Viola. Do it as fast as you can, we're already planning to sell them here, and please pay us with cash. Ah, and also, my relics and their relics separately, ok?"
"Certainly. We'll take about 3 hours to appraise these relics. We'll contact you when we're done. This will be your receipt. Please make sure not to lose it, if you do, it might cause some trouble for the following administration work and you might not be able to receive either the relics or the money from selling the relics."
That clerk then handed Colbert a receipt. It was a card with a high-level security technology that made it impossible to replicate or modify that card either physically or with hacking.
"Who is this Viola? You said to appraise the relics in place of Viola."
"Just an acquaintance. She's a Kurogin employee, I heard that she gets free appraisal quotas each month and she still has some free quota for this month. That's also why I told them to pay with cash. Since if they transfer the money, it'll be transferred to Viola's bank account."
The clerk also did not say anything in particular. In reality, it might violate some rules which in that case, they must have prior arrangements about doing something like that. Moreover, Revin had to pay for his debt, so if there was a way to pay it, he had no plans to complain about it.
Colbert and his friends then exited Kurogin and picked another place to hang out while waiting for the appraisal to finish.
After Sheryl finished her business and Colbert and his friends exited the room, Sheryl returned back to her private room with Akira.
When they arrived there, Sheryl started changing her dress. She only wore that dress to serve the customers and she wore a different dress when she was not serving customers. She was being careful as to not get too used to that dress and get it dirty. Sheryl had decided to keep that dress dearly so that she would not forget that it was a very expensive dress.
Sheryl slowly took off her dress piece by piece. There was no need to rush herself, so she was taking care not to damage the dress. In the middle of that, she stopped and glanced at Akira.
Since there was no special partition in Sheryl's private room where she could change her dress privately, she was basically in open view when she was changing her dress. But Akira was sitting on the sofa in that room while being focused on his terminal.
She then called Akira.
Akira's gaze shifted from his terminal to Sheryl. He looked straight at Sheryl, who was in the middle of changing her dress, her half-naked figure was very seductive.
Sheryl checked Akira's reaction. From what she could see, Akira's face was simply saying that he was just reacting to her since she called his name.
Sheryl sighed deep inside her heart.
"...Thank you very much for helping us although it's taking some of your time. So then, Akira, how much longer can you keep helping us like this?"
"I'm planning to stay inside the city until I can get my reward from that request in Mihazono ruin and use that money to take care of some stuff. So I'll be helping you until then. I myself don't know how long it would be, but I'm sure it won't be longer than a month."
Sheryl returned back to changing her dress, so Akira's attention also returned to his terminal.
Sheryl finished undressing and kept her expensive dress in her drawer while she was only in her underwear.
Lately, Sheryl was wearing the casual clothes that Akira chose for her back in Kashua's shop. They were pretty good clothes for their price and they fit really well for Sheryl as they made her beauty more prominent. Although in reality, it was Alpha who chose those clothes, Sheryl thought that Akira was the one who picked those clothes, so she was keeping them dearly.
Sheryl grabbed her clothes and stopped again, she then called Akira one more time.
Akira's gaze once again shifted from his terminal to Sheryl. He was looking straight at Sheryl's beautiful figure as she was only in her underwear.
Sheryl checked Akira's reaction again but the result did not change from last time. It seemed that Akira did not feel anything in particular after looking at her figure.
"...About the relics that we sold back there though, should I immediately transfer the money to your bank account?"
"No, there's no need to do that. You can transfer the money later when you have the time."
"But, Akira, you need the money for stuff, right? I heard that the ammo used by the Hunters are pretty expensive. Are you sure you're okay with that?"
Sheryl was trying to show off her body to Akira in the middle of changing her clothes. She was hoping that Akira would show at least a small interest in her body, but unfortunately, Akira did not show anything like that at all.
Sheryl had taken a bath together with Akira before, during that time too, he did not show any interest at all in her body as he casually went and enjoyed the bath. So judging from that, it was understandable that Sheryl's figure while she was changing her clothes or when she was only in her underwear did not affect him at all. Sheryl understood that very well, but even so, she could not help but feel disappointed.
[...I wonder if I'm actually not as attractive as I think I am. Judging from how others in the gang treat me, I should be quite attractive though... Is it because I'm just beautiful compared to the other girls from the slum city? But, Akira has been living in the slum city only until recently, so I guess it's because he has a strange taste of beauty then? Not to mention, the Hunters from just now also seemed to be reacting positively too. I really don't understand...]
On the outside, Sheryl's position was Akira's lover, and that position allowed her to maintain a lot of things such as the safety of her gang, her position as the boss of the gang, her connection to Shijima and Katsuragi. Sheryl was able to maintain all of them because of Akira's fighting prowess.
If Akira was her real lover, Sheryl would feel much safer. But in reality, she was not Akira's lover. At most, she was only his friend, or even maybe just an acquaintance with a particular connection to him. It was too weak as a guarantee for Akira to keep supporting her.
Sheryl thought that as long as she kept getting along with Akira, Akira might one day get interested in her. But judging from his reaction until now, it did not seem Akira was interested in her at all.
Sheryl finished changing her clothes, she then sat next to Akira. Akira just glanced at Sheryl when she sat next to him, he did not show any reaction in particular and immediately returned his gaze back to his terminal. Even when Sheryl leaned towards him, Akira did not show complaint at all, he kept his attention to his terminal.
Colbert and his friends returned back to Kurogin to receive the money after Kurogin finished appraising their relics.
The clerk gave a report on the result of the appraisal of the relics that they brought there.
"Since the relics were processed separately, I'll give the report separately too. Let's start with the relics that Colbert-sama brought here. Colbert-sama, unfortunately, the relics that you brought here are not in demand in this branch. The appraisal fee would be free. So what do you want to do with the relics? You might take them back or let us take care of them."
Revin looked at that clerk with hopeful eyes when that clerk called his name. That clerk was already used to having Hunters looking at him with that kind of gazes. So he was not bothered much by it as he continued.
"The result from the appraisal, subtracting the fee for the same, is 10,000 Aurum."
That clerk placed a tray with 10,000 Aurum in front of Revin. Seeing that, Revin disappointedly looked down. Colbert smiled bitterly and tried to cheer him up.
The clerk withdrew the tray and continued.
"Then lastly, Hazawa-sama."
After hearing about Revin's result, Hazawa did not put much hope on the result. But he was flabbergasted when he heard what that clerk said after that.
"The result from the appraisal, subtracting the fee for the appraisal, it's 1,500,000 Aurum."
Colbert, Revin, and Hazawa froze up as the clerk placed a tray in front of them. There was indeed a bundle of money on top of that tray which totalled 1,500,000 Aurum. The trump card set that Hazawa bought for 10,000 Aurum was worth 1,500,000 Aurum in Kurogin, and that was after subtracting the appraisal fee.
"Whoah, you just hit a jackpot, not bad at all. Why did you pick that trump card set in the first place? Was there something in particular that made you choose that relic?"
"...N-Not really though. I really chose it randomly."
"So basically, you just got lucky, huh... Alright then!! It's decided!! You're treating us today!!"
Colbert smiled at Hazawa as he tried to make Hazawa treat him. Hazawa just shook his head exasperatedly and replied happily.
"Alright alright, it's all thanks to your plan after all."
"H-how in the world is that thing worth 1,500,000 Aurum!? It was just a set of trump cards, you know!?"
Revin thought that if that trump card set was worth 1,500,000 Aurum, then the relics that he brought there should be worth more than that. He was still not fully recovered from the shock as he shouted at the clerk, demanding an explanation that could convince him.
"It's the result of our trusted appraisers' hard work and skill. Our appraisers dedicate all their time to make sure that they would be able to correctly identify the price of the relics that our customers bring to our shop. If Revin-sama wants to know the details of the information about the relics that Hazawa-sama brought to our shop, you would need Hazawa-sama's permission and remit a small amount of money to pay for our appraisers' knowledge. So, do you still want to know?"
"I don't mind, but how much would the price be?"
"It would be 300,000 Aurum in total. The information will be given directly from the person who was in charge of appraising that relic. We ask you not to record the explanation or leak it to a third party. Please keep in mind that if you try to share this information with someone else, we'll have to take appropriate measure."
"I don't mind giving you the permission, but pay for the info yourself, okay? I won't be paying for your share of info too, alright?"
"No, I need money for myself too. You pay for your share. That's the same to you too, Colbert. I won't be paying other than my own share."
Revin tried to negotiate with Hazawa.
Hazawa was not that soft.
"If you don't have enough money with you right now, I don't mind paying it for you. But it'll be added to your debt too. Well, at this point, it doesn't change much even if you add 100,000 Aurum to your debt, right? So?"
After hesitating, Revin finally decided to take Colbert's offer. With this, Revin's debt got increased although only by a little.
Rebuild World (WN)
リビルドワールド
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/rebuild-world/
Action Adventure Drama Harem Mecha Mystery Sci-fi Seinen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alternate World Anti-social Protagonist Apocalypse Artificial Intelligence Beautiful Female Lead Cautious Protagonist Child Protagonist Dense Protagonist Determined Protagonist Distrustful Protagonist Futuristic Setting Gangs Gunfighters Harsh Training Lack of Common Sense Male Protagonist Manipulative Characters Monsters Near-Death Experience Older Love Interests Poor Protagonist Poor to Rich Ruthless Protagonist Shota Sudden Strength Gain Survival Twisted Personality Unlucky Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n9736dt/
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