༺ Nemea’s Cat (2) ༻
West gate of Sodomora, the slums.
The client who had asked for me was said to be there. I have only been in Sodomora for a week and can’t think of anyone I was on friendly terms with.
I don’t think I had a disposition that was unique enough for people to choose me. I have no clue who’s asking for me no matter how much I think about it.
“Wow, not many Iron-Tier adventurers get commissioned by a client. As expected, you’re a great guy, Hassan!”
Contrary to me who was very confused by this situation, Luna was making a fuss as if she was very impressed by it.
Although I was the one being requested, she seemed to have grown more confident in herself instead, as though the one to get commissioned was her not me. It felt ridiculous to me if I had to be honest.
“So who is it? Doesn’t it say who? What is it that we should do?”
“It just has the location written on it.”
On the parchment, I received from Daphne, was the location of the client along with the promised reward and a signature. Nothing more.
Very uninformative and crude, I know, but that’s how it is. No use complaining about it in a world without any proper system.
I ignored what the request will entail nor was I curious about who the requester is. The only reason I’m following this unfamiliar road to an unknown location was because of what was written on the latter part of the piece of parchment.
『Basic remuneration of 2 silvers. More can be negotiated depending on the amount of work.』
2 silvers.
Two whole silver coins!
I don’t know what was waiting for me, but what I knew was that I was going to get 2 silvers out of it. There’s no way I can turn down such a great opportunity at earning money.
It’s a huge amount of money. 2 silvers are about 200 coppers.
Just when I was happily and excitedly thinking about my newly earned money after having used 5 silvers on acquiring the protective gear…
“B-By the way Hassan… Although we’re a fixed party already, there are some things we have yet to discuss…”
Luna who was walking next to me addressed me in a tentative tone.
Not good, not good at all. Nothing right can come out of her mouth when she starts talking like that. Damn, what is it this time? I hope it isn’t something too bad.
“What is it?”
“It’s important… Hmm, don’t get mad, or get me wrong, just listen… From now on, I’m gonna talk business, without any ulterior motives.”
“What are you trying to talk about? It’s alright, just say it.”
“…I don’t think we’ve talked about profit distribution…yet…”
“Ah…”
Come to think of it, I didn’t think about that at all. I thought dividing things equally among all the party members was the way to go, just like how we did during that quest from the guild, which also happened to be my very first one.
“I-I’m okay with forty percent…”
“Forty?”
Luna’s shy voice surprised me. I was thinking along the lines that a 50-50 split would be the fair way to go.
“Forty? Are you sure?”
“Well, then thirty…”
Wait, why is she going for a lower cut?
“I think it will be difficult even for me with less than thirty…”
She was acting very servile. Her helpless attitude was enough to give me flashbacks of my time as Elfriede’s slave.
If it was Elfriede, that misbegotten and merciless bitch, I would have been relentlessly whipped already in such a situation. But I, a 21st-century citizen of Korea, didn’t want to be the same as that damned psychotic elf.
“Okay, call! Thirty percent it is. Done deal!!”
“R-Really? Holy shh! You’re really giving me thirty percent?!”
“I can even give you a little more as a reward depending on your performance during every quest we undertake.”
“What, what? You’ll give me even more…? Whoah, you’re lying, right!? I won’t be easily deceived, I tell you!”
Shit, I’m being questioned even when I’m showing my goodwill. So unfair! But, I guess that’s just how this word is.
Most people who showed goodwill here were scheming bastards. Of course, she’d doubt me.
The heart of generosity in this world is just as dry and tasteless as the food served here. It was rare to see people help each other or show goodwill without any particular reason.
“S-Swear by the river Styx, Hassan!”
“What?”
Damn, do you want me to go through that hellish stomach pain again? I feel like the title of “Long Splitter Hassan” that I had previously outrun was catching up to me again right now. This is enough to make me shiver uncontrollably in fear.
“W-Well that’s a little bit… Do I really need to swear by the river Styx?”
“But… You’ll be punished if you act in vain and break your vow. S-So if you change your mind…”
“There is no need for that. We’re in a regular party now. We have to trust each other.”
Of course, it was a little hypocritical and fake of me to have said that. Talking about trust and things like these without even writing a contract made me a little uncomfortable too. I and Luna had a boss-and-subordinate-like relationship, rather than one based on trust and friendship, after all.
In this situation, Luna had no choice but to do as I say.
Of course, It’s not like I was gonna be abusive to her or rob her of her money.
I just didn’t want to swear a Styx’s oath. Not one that I would be forced to uphold at least, because, although I always did my best to do what I promised, I wasn’t the best at it if I had to be honest.
Anyway, it looks like the problem was settled for now.
Luna, however, was still muttering to herself while making strange sounds such as, “Hmm”s and “Ah”s but didn’t talk to me again for a while.
But just when we were near the place that was inscribed on the parchment…
“D-Do you like me?”
“What?”
I was so confused by this unexpected query that I couldn’t stop a question of my own from popping out of my mouth.
For a moment, I had a feeling that I was going to be making a very unsightly expression, so I pretended not to be embarrassed and adjusted my expression and emotions as best I could before asking.
“What did you just say?”
“I was wondering if you liked me… You wouldn’t treat me so well if you didn’t, otherwise.”
“Hah?”
It was the first time since elementary school that I had been asked that question. My head began overheating as I didn’t know how to answer her.
Can’t you interpret my offer as just me being reasonable? I didn’t think she’d go and imagine something like this. This was honestly very embarrassing.
What should I say? Luna then interrupted me while I was agonizing about what to reply to her…
“I-I might not be able to answer your feelings, Ha-Hassan…”
What the fuck, I got dumped before even confessing? Confession: 0, Rejections: 1. I felt thoroughly humiliated at these statistics of my love life. My KDA has been thoroughly ruined from the get-go. [1]
“I swore an oath of chastity to the mother of the night, Knox. That’s why I can’t date or connect in body and soul with a man…”
“Ah—”
I’ve heard about vows of chastity before.
Many people swore an oath of chastity; some to get a blessing or gain the favors of a certain god, while others did so to express their gratitude after being blessed.
Of course; I had only heard of it. It was the first time I’ve seen it in person like this.
“So you made a vow of chastity to Knox?”
“Yes… if you touch me, you’ll be punished by Knox…probably…”
Luna answered with little confidence in her voice.
Providing what I knew about Luna and what happened last night, she might be the daughter of the being called Knox. It was like a mother protecting her daughter’s chastity or something.
It made little sense that a girl that wandered the world in such a skimpy outfit hadn’t been kidnapped or sold anywhere.
As a matter of fact, my parents were also strict enough to set a curfew for my sister. In any world, sons are raised and then released into the outside world while daughters are always more cherished and well-kept.
Now that I think about it, my sister was very cherished by my father while I was subjected by him to eating all kinds of weird food. Something about a foolish daughter and genius son or so he used to say.
“Sigh, I think you’re misunderstanding something here. Let’s talk about it calmly later. We’ve arrived already.”
Having someone to talk to made long distances feel rather short. I couldn’t help but narrow my eyes and crease my forehead when I noticed the familiar street.
Squeak— Squeak—
A wooden signboard with beakers and potions engraved on it was swaying with the wind. I know of this place.
“Welcome, my friend~”
A woman appeared out of the rusty door of the shop. Her conical hat was hiding her flaming red hair and huge watermelon-like breasts.
Anyone who had seen it once would never be able to forget it.
“I was waiting outside since I didn’t know when you were going to arrive~ Come in~”
******
“Sit anywhere you want~ I’ll bring a cup of tea, well, two cups of tea, wait for a little~”
The witch moved behind a corner filled with junk and debris and then disappeared from that spot.
I could hear Clatters and Clicks and other loud sounds coming around that junk-filled corner. She truly seemed to be preparing tea.
I was sitting on a long chair made of a kind of leather I had never seen before. There was no way I could hide my uneasiness and quivering heart so I just closed my eyes while waiting for her arrival.
“Ha-Hassan, look there…”
After facing the witch, Luna hid behind me and began shivering like a meerkat facing a lion.
Then, she busily moved her eyes and started looking around when the witch left to make some tea.
“…It’s full of snakes.”
Luna’s gaze turned to a glass container that was rather well made and transparent for an object of this world.
My eyebrows frowned instinctively at the sight of the snakes that were immersed in an unknown liquid, probably alcohol or some other kind of chemical compound.
It was because it reminded me of the snake liquor that used to fill every corner of my house, back in my world, for as long as I could remember.
“Woah, it’s a snake. It has three heads. It’s a three-headed snake! So rare!”
Luna’s eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. She went close enough to that glass container to smell it and then peered into it to get a good look at the snake.
Hiss—
“I-It’s alive.”
Luna screamed with joy when she saw the snake inside wriggling. I have to quietly warn her before an accident happens which would definitely end in our demise.
“Hey, stop it!”
“B-But I’ve never seen something so amazing before. Who’s that woman? Is she really your friend?”
“I don’t know. Anyway, just come and sit down for now…!”
“Y-Yes.”
Just when Luna followed my orders and discouragedly pressed her butt on one of the chairs, the witch appeared from the previous corner holding a wide tray.
“I’ve made you guys wait a lot~ This is my own creation~ Try it~”
The witch took out a wooden cup and handed it to Luna first. There was a very suspicious-looking liquid contained inside it. It was also bubbling as if it was boiling lava.
Churn— Churn—
What kind of color is this? Why is it fluorescent? Nothing good can come out of drinking this, I’m positive about that.
It’s not an ordinary tea no matter from which angle I look at it. After living in this world for two years, I wasn’t dumb enough to drink something a witch was handing to me.
“Whoa, it’s delicious. What is this? It gives off a slightly burning aftermath in my mouth. It’s really soothing.”
Luna who had already drunk her share shouted excitedly. Damn, what a reckless girl. How are you even still alive after being so reckless all the time?
“Won’t you drink yours, Hassan? Can I have it, then?”
“Yeah, just drink it all.”
“Holy shh! I like this so much!”
“The little one seems to like it~ It’s my latest creation~ I just got some Hydra blood from a friend and successfully neutralized it~ I also added pepper among other things to brew this connotation of tea~”
“H-Hydra blood? How could there be such a thing?”
Luna started crying because she had just drank two shots of the tea without even knowing how it was made. The witch laughed at her reckless behavior.
“Don’t worry~ I deprived it of its divinity until it was at a level where it’s harmless to the human body~ Your pink hair is rather cute~ You don’t see this color a lot around here~ Where are you from little one~? Do you mind if I draw some of your blood~?”
“H-Hiik—”
Luna trembled in fear like a little furry animal in front of a gleaming predator, and then fell down on her butt. Without hesitation, she hid behind my back for protection, just like someone at the bottom of the food chain would do.
“Just kidding~ I can’t help but want to make fun of cute children whenever I see them~ How cute~!”
“A-Anyway, I heard you needed me for something?”
I tried to change the mood and grab the attention of Nemea who seemed to be having fun teasing Luna. I wanted to pass as little time as possible in this different world version of my father’s health center.
“Yes, my friend~ I’m still new in this city and have yet to know many people~ I thought I could trust you with this, my friend~”
“So, what am I to do? Only the reward was written, nothing else.”
“It will be a piece of cake~ Nothing too difficult~ There’s something precious to me I’d like you to find~ My pet cat~ My poor white cat has disappeared~”
“So, you want me to find that white cat?”
“Yeah, I’m glad you’re quick on the uptake, my friend~ My cat probably left the shop the last time, when you touched me~ I had left the door open at the time~ That stinking cat tries to run away every time I take my eyes off it~”
“Hassan touched what?”
“That little thing hates being hungry more than anything~ I don’t know how much pain it must be going through right now~ Fortunately, I have a rough idea of where it is~ It likes dark and damp places~ There are not many places it could be in~”
“Wait, Hassan touched you? I wonder what that means…”
“Well, that’s a little too soon for a kid like you to talk about.”
This quest is very sussy. And as you guys know, nothing can go right for Hassan. Nemea trolling Luna at the end was pretty funny too lmao. Thanks for reading and see you next time.
