Maken no Daydreamer

“Hey, just what did you say?”

“I refuse. I said that. There is no way you didn’t hear it?”

At dusk.

The time was at the borderline and it felt like after an hour or two the sun will also go down.

The place was, wastelands on the outskirts of the city.

Elk had by herself come to the place which was written in the letter she got before.

From the many men surrounding Elk with bad countenance, one man......the man who warned her on yesterday’s night spoke while furrowing his brows.

“You read the letter, right?”

“I wouldn’t come here if I didn’t read it”

“I see, then you also understand it, right? That you don’t have any other option left.”

“............”

The contents of the letter were something like this.

It was about those members who attacked Minato yesterday’s noon.

Though there were no deaths, but they had to give a lot of treatment fees and suffered financial losses.

Though not completely, but Elk was also responsible for that, and so she had to take the burden of some amount of that money. It was added to her debt.

Now that there was no way to clear the debt using legal ways, only one method was left.

The sharp eared men, had already heard about an『Adventurer in Black』killing the big serpent and judged it was Minato.

Including the fact that Minato would be rewarded enormous amount of money as reward for killing it.

Then seeing the right time after he got reward, attack him and seize all the equipments and luggage everything. The plan also included to sell him as he was a rare person with black hair and black eyes.

If it went easily, about 60% of her debt would be repaid. And if the prices of equipments and all were high then she would be able to repay more than that.

However, Elk’s response was,

“Don’t make me say it again and again. I’m saying I reject that offer.”

“......Bitch, do you understand the meaning of your words?”

That man was somewhat more rational than others, but it was clear from his speech that his mood was getting foul.

He scowled at Elk, in his eyes was unconcealable irritation.

It was obvious that behind the words that sounded like warning had threat included.

After all, if Elk was unable to repay the debt before the deadline which was approaching, she would either be sold off to slave dealers or brothel. To a woman, there was nothing else than hell after that point.

Even more, the reward Minato would get would be more than the money they would get by selling off Elk.

Hence, they were trying to persuade Elk by intimidating her with fear. For gaining more profits.

......Still, her reply didn’t change.

“I know what I’m saying. You will at most sell me to some slave dealer or brothel? I won’t resist it after all this time.”

“......What did you say?”

“I’m saying, do what you want to your heart’s desire. But, now this talk is over, don’t even try to lay hands on that idiot......Minato”

She herself, didn’t think that this would stop them.

Just, she wanted to something good at the last moment so that she won’t regret......and would be able to show her face straightly to the boy who saved her.

Of course, she knew that Minato wouldn’t like it and she herself didn’t want to jump in hell by her own will.

She just felt that if she try to live a disgraceful life, then she would stop being herself.

Choosing to live a lowly disgraceful life was too heavy a choice for her after being in contact with Minato’s kindness.

If she tried to return, it was a dirty path. If she didn’t return it would be either slave or prostitute.

Either return to hell or go to hell. both sides were hell for her.

In that case, while her mind was cooling down......she made decision.

“If I’m going to hell anyway, then it’s more good to go to hell by my own will while carrying all the sins. There would be not even one person who would feel sorry for me.”

“......You’re an idiot. You going to ruin your life by rejecting the offer in front of you? Rethink about it, even by saying good things, it won’t give prof......”

“You’re right, nobody will gain profit, but neither will anyone suffer loss.”

“You can’t complain about anything in hell, still going with your choice?”

“Bake me, boil me, have fun. ......It is a befitting end for garbage like me. Even if you people are garbage like me, but I won’t let you get any profit.”

“Bitch......”

The surrounding men scowled at Elk, who was speaking in a masochism way, with eyes filled with hatred.

Right now from their standpoints it was, Elk who was rejecting their offer for some hypocrite feelings.

However, in front of those stares, Elk showed a refreshed face giving off the feeling that what she had done was only natural.

Most probably, even if they attacked her or tore her clothes apart and be violent she won’t resist at all. But she definitely won’t regret, neither make any complaints.

The leader man who was speaking till before after knowing Elk had no intention of withdrawing, opened his mouth,

“......I got it, I’ll give you what you want you bitch. I will sell you to the place which gives more profit. I won’t hear any complaints from you now.”

Even after hearing the words similar to death sentence, Elk’s expression didn’t change.

On the contrary, she faintly smiled.

As if saying, that she was finally going to be free of guilt.

It was the face of Martyr being dragged by scaffold.

However,

But her heroic determination was short-lived and would be trampled underfoot.

“We will take care of that Minato brat, after we take care of you.”

“......!?”

Elk made a surprised face after she understood the meaning of the words.

In front of her, was the leader man who had the vulgarest smile of the day fixed on his face.

“What? Did you think he would be saved if you sacrificed yourself?”

“You didn’t say it!? He is not in any way involved in my debts! Why......Just why are you people laying your hands on him even after I say that I’m going to take all responsibility......”

“You really are an idiot. We are only taking that brat on our own accord, it has no relation to you. We are『Moneylender』and『Slave dealer』and those others are『Kidnappers』. They do their work. You never know which person they will attack and when, right?”

On those words, the surrounding men also laughed.

While making a fool of Elk who showed her useless determination and feelings.

The people from which Elk took money were without a doubt, these men, who were affiliated with the famous major merchant’s association this city.

That association itself was regarded as a good and legal one, with no relation to illegal things. ......They do deal with slaves and many other commodities, but it was in the regions of law.

The the preparators, the『Kidnappers』were only an outlaw group. They were evil people who would get death sentence the moment they were captured.

They were only related to the dark side of association, in front they both were completely unrelated.

This was the way『To make money without any problems』and therefore both parties were making use of each other nothing more.Therefore, they could attack the association anytime.

It was only the truth. One cannot expect outlaws to have morals or anything like that.

Realizing that, Elk clenched her fists in anger and started trembling. She was angry towards herself that she couldn’t see their true intentions and her face was getting red from anger.

“Do yo get it now, Elk? You foolish woman, it still ends like this. Honest people are seen as fool......it would’ve been better if you choose the easier way, right? Ah, it’s already too late?”

“You people......!!”

Ironically, the words she had said in the noon were turning in reality.

While feeling that in the corner of her mind, her whole mind was already under control of fury and despair.

So much fury, that she didn’t realise that she was almost going to cry.

“Don’t go ahead and try to end everything while acting cool for self-satisfaction, it’s creepy. You’re just a shitty woman who can live while pushing problems on the surrounding people! That black guy is also pitiable, if he hadn’t met you, it wouldn’t have turned into th......”

“Noisy! Shut up! Worst!”

“I’ll say it. We are going to capture that guy with a really good plan. After all, I have people of Rank D and C, they are completely different from people from yesterday. They are right now standing on guard, they won’t let anyone esc......”

At that moment,

“I see, so those people were D and C? No wonder, it was really easy”

“““!!?”””

In the wastelands with bloodthirsty atmosphere, resounded a voice with no feeling of tension.

Being surprised, the men’s and Elk’s line of sight changed to the place from where the voice came.

At that place,

There was a silhouette in complete back with the sunset as its background

It wasn’t because of backlighting from sun, but in reality the silhouette had black clothes, scarf, gauntlets, shin guards and finally hair and eyes.

“They were looking at me from afar and it was getting irritating, so I cleaned them up? Don’t be stingy and use 10 people. It would’ve been better if you used 100 people.”

“B-bastard......!”

“Minato......?”

The child-faced boy smiled sweetly with a face and voice having no tension at all.

His line of sight falls on the girl surrounded by men who was about to cry......but actually didn’t betray the boy’s faith.

And

There was no one who knew that the boy was getting angered behind his smile.