Vol.1 - Chapter 2: Future Plans (2/12)

''What was that voice?''

''I don't know. Anyway, forget it and stop fighting for now. Let's hurry up and find someone else to corner, or the boss won't let us live tonight."

"Yeah, let's find someone else. We'll definitely catch someone with fat pockets on the night of the celebration.''

While the bandits were walking away with slow steps, the bewildered duo lowered their voices and started talking to each other again.

''What are you doing here?''

''I went for a walk, but what are you doing with the bandits?''

''Heh, hehehe... You know, merchants need to borrow money. It's necessary to keep the business going.''

''And like that, you borrow money from bandits?''

''Let's not call it that, let's call it a more favorable loan opportunity.''

''Of course, for sure. It is obvious from the fact that the pursuers are trying to take your life that they provide a favorable loan service.''

The two argued in low volume for a while and after making sure that the bandits were gone, they stood up and returned their voices to normal.

''I guess there is no point in continuing to argue in this cold weather. Do you know where Dom's Inn is?''

''Dom's Inn? What are you doing there?''

''What do you expect me to be doing in an inn at this hour?

"Sure, sure. By the way, what do you mean by 'sucker lover'?"

"What are you talking about?"

Shin had finished his walk with a very unexpected surprise. He had finally found his way to return after meeting someone he would never have thought of meeting again. He supported the young man beside him with his shoulder and they headed towards Dom's Inn the way he described.

''You wouldn't tell Yumi about what happened, would you?

The young man asked this when the surroundings fell silent for a while. Shin, on the other hand, did not respond to this question other than smiling slightly.

''You wouldn't, right?''

---

A short woman with dark brown hair and blue eyes was sitting sleepily at a reception desk. Just a few minutes ago she could not hear her own voice over the noise, but now she could hear her own breathing in the same environment.

She was struggling to stay awake with her eyes half closed, but the place was so quiet and her body was so tired from working that it seemed impossible for her to win against the sweet slumber.

After some time had passed, she realized that it would be useless to fight against this sweet slumber. So she put her head on the table and while her hair covered her face, she closed her half-open eyes to the fullest.

''Hahh... I guess no one will come after this hour. Still, that brat... It would be nice if he brought Minato. I wonder where that kid disappeared to?"

These were her last thoughts before being taken over by slumber. Now, her brain was also resting same as her slim body. Though, this nice rest didn't last long. The sound of a bell brought her back to her senses like a slap in the face.

''We- welcome!''

With the sound she heard, she jumped up from the chair she was sitting on and rose to her feet. She was just about to fall asleep, but now her body suddenly came to its senses and she felt refreshed for a few seconds because she had been caught unexpectedly. She immediately put a big smile on her face to welcome this customer who interrupted her sleep and turned to the entrance of the inn.

"Oh no... Hell no..."

However, in the face of the familiar face she encountered, her welcoming expression was replaced by a great fury.

''Oh, look at there... Who do we have here? Seems like our little Minato has grown into a big man and started wandering outside at night.''

When the woman at the receptionist booth saw the person who came in, she slowly started to walk towards them.

''Rina, please listen to me-''

When Minato, who appeared to be injured and was being helped to stand by a boy standing next to him, opened his mouth, the short woman jumped on him like a predator lunging at its prey. When Shin saw that the man he was supporting with his shoulder was being lunged at, he also stopped supporting the young man.

The auburn-haired young man tripped and staggered as he lost his support, and just as he was falling to the ground, he received a solid punch from the woman who lunged at him at the same time.

''Öhh... Cough cough... Lis-''

Although Minato was knocked down by this double-sided blow, he was able to continue talking. Of course, it was obvious that the furious woman lunging at him had no intention of hearing him. No matter how much the young man wanted to make his voice heard and try to calm her down, it was useless. He was almost unable to breathe with the repeated punches.

"I think it might be good if you listened to him."

As Minato continued to be beaten, the boy who was a few steps away from him spoke. He was a little amused at first to see the young man being beaten like that, but after his painful pleas, he seemed to have decided to stop the woman.

''Hah! So you really brought him, brat! I didn't have high hopes from you, but you did a good job. I'd like to reward you for that, but I won't listen to this moron for a second! He's always making excuses and leaving his work to me. Now get out of here and forget what you've seen.''

''Rina, this ti- Ugh! Cough, cough...''

''He crossed the line this time! I had a very important job today, but even on the day of the celebration, I was the only one who worked all day! I couldn't change with the other employees and quit because it was busy! And what was this arrogant fool doing? He's been out about all day, and he's not even ashamed to say that he can explain! He won't get away with this that easily.''

Shin had given up on stopping her when he saw her in such a frenzied state.

'I'm sorry, Minato. I hope you make it through the night alive...'

He pitied the young man, but he didn't think there was anything he could do in this situation. As a result, he decided to withdraw from the scene as the outsider and started walking towards the stairs in front of him.

As Shin called out to her, the short woman's focus shifted to him for a few seconds. After answering the boy, she watched him walk towards the stairs for a moment. When her prey on the ground made another sound, she shifted her focus back to him.

"Please get me away from this wo- ÖHÖ, KÖH..."

The man on the ground raised his hand towards the boy in the few seconds he was free from the beating, expecting help. He shouted bitterly, but his voice was cut off again by the kick he received.

''You can stay here tonight, kid. Sana should be upstairs; tell her I sent you. She'll organize a place for you to sleep.''

The woman realised that after the kick she had given to the man lying in front of her, he would not be able to recover for a while, so she turned her focus back to the boy who was heading towards the stairs.

Shin didn't even bother to turn around and respond. Instead, he slowly began to climb the stairs. The brown-haired woman shook her head from side to side when she saw his behaviour and turned back to the man lying on the ground, but just as she was about to give him another blow, she turned her head in the direction of the sound coming from the stairs.

''Sure, sure. Just be quiet, the inn is finally quiet at this hour. Let me sleep after all this traveling...''