Kali didn't even glance in my direction, as if she didn't care about the whispering about her.
“Are all people with long hair women? Do you think his shoulders look like a woman’s?”
“...She feels like a woman.”
“I see. Then it must be a woman.”
Ryan stopped as he was about to go to Kali.
He whispered to me again.
"But is it really her? Don't you regret it? No matter how skilled someone is, there's always something to be desired. I just want to make sure you get someone as reliable as possible. Don't you want to avoid looking at other guys?"
“I hate it, I hate it. I hate that guy no matter what!”
I threw a tantrum. Ryan sighed, as if he had no other choice, and then walked straight towards Kali.
Only when we stood in front did Kali raise her head and look at us.
'Tsk tsk.'
I bit my lip and held back the tears.
"Hey. I'm looking for a guard for our daughter. Let's go out and talk."
Ryan said. Kali looked back and forth between him and me, then went back to sharpening her sword.
“I don’t accept scouts.”
“Five thousand.”
Oh, I told you to start from 20,000...
As I glared at Ryan, who was not listening, the surroundings became noisy.
It seems that they are impressed by our wealth, which starts from 5 thousand.
“I’m not going.”
“10,000.”
“I’m not going.”
“20,000.”
Exclamations of “Eek!” and “Huh!” erupted from those around them.
20,000 gold was the salary Wassenberg paid for bringing Kali. So I figured she'd be happy about it.
“Get to know other people.”
...You don’t even have any worries about 20,000?
I was embarrassed, but someone was whispering behind my back.
“Look at that crazy guy’s arrogance.”
“I’d lick the soles of your feet for 20,000. What unlucky.”
“I'm called ‘Cerberus’!”
“Are all people with long hair women? Do you think his shoulders look like a woman’s?”
“...She feels like a woman.”
“I see. Then it must be a woman.”
Ryan stopped as he was about to go to Kali.
He whispered to me again.
"But is it really her? Don't you regret it? No matter how skilled someone is, there's always something to be desired. I just want to make sure you get someone as reliable as possible. Don't you want to avoid looking at other guys?"
“I hate it, I hate it. I hate that guy no matter what!”
I threw a tantrum. Ryan sighed, as if he had no other choice, and then walked straight towards Kali.
Only when we stood in front did Kali raise her head and look at us.
'Tsk tsk.'
I bit my lip and held back the tears.
"Hey. I'm looking for a guard for our daughter. Let's go out and talk."
Ryan said. Kali looked back and forth between him and me, then went back to sharpening her sword.
“I don’t accept scouts.”
“Five thousand.”
Oh, I told you to start from 20,000...
As I glared at Ryan, who was not listening, the surroundings became noisy.
It seems that they are impressed by our wealth, which starts from 5 thousand.
“I’m not going.”
“10,000.”
“I’m not going.”
“20,000.”
Exclamations of “Eek!” and “Huh!” erupted from those around them.
20,000 gold was the salary Wassenberg paid for bringing Kali. So I figured she'd be happy about it.
“Get to know other people.”
...You don’t even have any worries about 20,000?
I was embarrassed, but someone was whispering behind my back.
“Look at that crazy guy’s arrogance.”
“I’d lick the soles of your feet for 20,000. What unlucky.”
“I'm called ‘Cerberus’!”
Cerberus. Kali's mercenary guild.
"Aha?"
Ryan let out a gasp as he overheard the conversations around him.
“I guess she’s a guy who knows a thing or two about the system.”
“...Were you trying to hire me without knowing?”
Kali was dumbfounded.
“Oh! Confidence, spirit! I like it.”
“Look for someone else.”
“30,000.”
“I’m not going.”
“Even in Wassenberg, they wouldn’t call for this much, right? 40,000.”
“I’m not going.”
...
What the heck.
By then, my mind was blank.
Judging by Kali's attitude, it doesn't seem like she would nod even if offered a billion dollars.
Why? Why on earth?
“Hey... you don’t like money?”
I asked Kali.
He looked at me for a moment.
"Yes."
Wow! What the heck, really!
“Why, why? Why do you hate money?”
“I don’t particularly dislike it. It’s just that each person’s priorities and values are different.”
“That’s true. But isn’t money your priority?”
“Yes. No.”
“...”
My mind went blank again.
The situation has deviated from what I expected from the very beginning. I have no idea how to respond.
“50,000.”
Meanwhile, Ryan raised the amount as if he were betting.
“I’m not going.”
“60,000.”
“Stop it.”
"Yes. Let's go, daughter. Dad has done enough."
“Ah, Dad... Wait a minute...”
As Ryan grabbed my hand and turned around, the other participants surrounded us like hyenas, as if they had been waiting for us.
“Master, what family are you from?”
“I’m from that A-class mercenary guild...”
“5th place in last year’s swordsmanship competition...”
Think. Think.
The situation hasn't changed at all since the regression, and Kali is obsessed with money. So, if you give her money, she should follow.
'That's for sure. I know. Kali is a money-crazy bastard.'
Having been like family to me for eight years, I know Carly very well. I know everything. Everything...
'... Really? I know everything?'
I looked back at Kali.
She's still just working on her weapon without any interest in me.
'Is there something I don't know? Something that Kali hasn't even told me about?'
“Daughter.”
Ryan called out to me, who was still unable to move. And he said.
"From what I've gathered, that guy seems like a strong contender for the championship. It's obvious. She wants to become a royal knight."
No. No.
If things continue like this, Kali will forfeit the finals and sign a contract with Wassenberg for 20,000 gold.
"No..."
I muttered something very quietly, but Ryan heard me and asked back.
“No?”
“...”
“Vania. Look at me.”
Ryan bent down, grabbed my cheek, and turned me around. My eyes, which had been fixed on Kali, met his.
He whispered.
“Is there a reason it has to be that guy?”
"...Yes."
Ryan looked around. He stared at Kali for a long time with a strange look in his eyes.
"Yes."
Ryan, who had straightened his back, waved his hand at the gathered participants like a hyena, as if to tell them to go.
And back to Kali.
“Let’s go out and talk alone.”
“Take it easy. No matter how much you call, my answer will always be the same.”
Swish.
“Oh, Dad!”
Then Ryan suddenly grabbed Kali by the collar.
“What are you doing now?”
"What are you doing? I just wanted to talk for a bit. Why are you acting so expensive? Come out."
“Put this down.”
“You want to fight? Do you know who I am?”
“...”
"If you make a fuss for no reason, it won't look good for you. You don't want to get into a fight with a civilian before the game even starts and get forcibly disqualified, do you?"
“...”
Kali closed her eyes tightly and gritted her teeth.
‘That expression, she’s really angry...’
Kali took a deep breath in anger and roughly ripped Ryan's hand from around her collar.
“You go out first.”
“It should have been like that a long time ago.”
Ryan turned around and walked away.
Kali followed suit.
“You are here.”
Passing me by, Ryan said:
“Listen to me.”
I had no choice but to nod as Ryan gave me an order, even flicking his index finger.
Soon, the two people disappeared from the waiting room.
“Little lady, sit here!”
“Where do you think you are, little girl, little girl?”
“Are you crazy for speaking so rudely to me? Young Lady, where are you from?”
I struggled to regain my senses amidst the swarm of hyenas.
I put both hands on my throbbing temples.
Think about it.
“I'm a money-grubbing bird.”
If that's the case, then I have to overturn all my assumptions about Kali.
'Money, no.'
There, she definitely doesn't want to become an imperial knight since she forfeited the final before returning.
'Honor, no.'
Ultimately, Kali headed to Wassenberg. However, she wasn't lured there by the 20,000 gold salary.
'Did you want to become a knight of a famous noble family?'
No. If she wanted to value that kind of reputation, it would have been a hundred times better to just become an imperial knight.
Then...
'Is there a reason why it had to be Wassenberg?'
The confused strands of thought slowly began to come together.
What if there was a reason why Kali had to choose Wassenberg, or... some kind of purpose?
What on earth could it be?
‘T-T, honestly, I can’t imagine anything else...?’
This place is such a dump that if someone came in with some hidden agenda, only one person comes to mind.
There are many people with grudges and supernatural abilities.
If someone is looking to get their balls kicked, the 24/7 escort job is the most challenging one.
'But not Kali!'
I never held a grudge against anyone, and Kali wasn't a spy.
Even though we were sweethearts for 8 years...
"Honestly, I never thought I'd be assigned to escort you, so I was a bit surprised at first. You're so... young."
Yes.
That's right...
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