The Petty Thief

We defeated the River Serpent and rebuilt the broken bridge.

We were able to cross the river safely with the people.

“Thank you, Hero. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have been able to cross the river and would have been trapped here with no way out.”

“Don't mention it. I only did what had to be done.”

“Sniff. You're so brave and beautiful, and kindhearted too.”

Perhaps Shabel still wasn't used to receiving praise, because she gave an awkward smile.

“Hero, please defeat the calamities safely and bring peace to the world. We'll be cheering you on like this.”

“Don't worry. I'll do my best.”

The people said their farewells and went their separate ways.

We resumed our journey as well.

Beyond the forest lay a plain.

Beyond the plain, another forest.

If not for the cities and villages that appeared from time to time, we would have thought we were going in circles.

It was a leisurely expedition.

‘Still, it’s not all that bad.’

Contrary to my expectation that she'd work me to the bone, Shabel didn't make me do much.

Just driving the carriage and taking care of the luggage—odd jobs like that.

And only the basic chores everyone in the party did, such as standing watch and gathering firewood.

Other than that, there was no labor I had to shoulder alone.

Perhaps it was because Shabel wasn't used to working others to the bone.

‘If it were Renoa, she'd have made me do everything from A to Z and sucked me dry.’

I suppose I should count it as fortunate that it was Shabel, at least in this regard.

Thanks to that, all I had to do was sit in the driver's seat and drive the carriage.

They took care of the battles themselves.

On top of that, we visited places like this and places like that.

‘Aside from being pretty annoyed about being dragged here by force, if I look at it positively, it kind of feels like sightseeing.’

Though I suppose I have to look at it pretty... positively...? Still, it wasn't a major problem.

“We'll have to stay here tonight.”

Shabel said, looking at the city walls in the distance.

Milton, a city in the southwestern part of the Empire. It would be our lodging for tonight.

“There's still quite a while before sunset.”

Esca asked as he looked at the sun high in the sky.

“There's no reason to camp when we can stay in a city. Besides, we've been traveling without a break lately.”

“Understood.”

No one objected.

There was absolutely no reason to insist on camping when warm water and soft beds were available.

We entered Milton just like that.

We found an inn with an attached stable and moved our luggage in. Afterward, we gathered on the first floor and ate an early dinner.

Freshly baked bread, meat stew, and chicken.

Perhaps because we'd been eating nothing but preserved food for days, even ordinary food tasted quite excellent.

Near the end of the meal, Shabel wiped her mouth and spoke.

“Let's call it a day. You're all free to spend your time however you like until tomorrow evening.”

As though they'd been waiting for those words, Simon rose from his seat.

“Then I shall take a brief tour of the city and engage in some spiritual cultivation.”

“What do you mean, tour the city? You're going to a brothel, you degenerate priest.”

Ash snorted.

“Not degeneracy. Ascetic practice.”

“What kind of ascetic practice do you do in a brothel?”

“Resisting worldly temptation is also part of spiritual cultivation.”

“What kind of lunatic pays money to go looking for temptation?”

Simon let it roll off with a mild laugh.

He looked around the table and began searching for a companion on his path of asceticism.

Before long, Esca, who exchanged glances with him, quietly rose from his seat.

“I'll also take a brief look around the nightlife.”

“Ugh, a knight and a priest, of all people. The world's really gone to hell.”

Ash, who had been looking at them with a pitying expression, also stood up.

“Are you going too, Ash?”

“Are you crazy? Why would I go there? I'm going gambling.”

“Ash, don't lose too much.”

“I'll only use my spending money, so don't worry. More importantly, why are you assuming I'm going to lose?”

Ash grumbled and left the inn.

Simon and Esca followed behind.

Then Simon looked at me.

“Would you like to come with us, Mr. Leon?”

“Me?”

“You're a man too, Mr. Leon. You need to relieve yourself now and then. Isn't that right, Hero?”

“I wouldn't know. If you want to go, you may. You're a man too, so go if you need to.”

Shabel said it without the slightest hesitation.

‘What is this feeling of revulsion?’

There was nothing strange about Shabel.

Brothels were perfectly legal establishments in this world, and no one pointed fingers at you for visiting one.

It might have been different for professions where one's reputation mattered, such as knights and clergy.

I knew that.

I knew it, but—

“I'm fine. I'm not particularly interested.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Even if it was legal here, paying a stranger to do something like that...

I couldn't help feeling an instinctive revulsion.

“That's a shame. I thought I might finally have a companion. Well, someone like you probably doesn't need to go to a brothel to do whatever you want. Unless you prefer men?”

“Get the hell out of here instead of wasting time spouting nonsense.”

“Hahaha, you're so prickly.”

Simon let out a silly laugh and left the inn with Esca.

Morian, who had been quietly tucked away in the corner of the table, carefully got up and returned to his room.

He was probably going to conduct some mage-like, so-called bizarre research in his room.

Thanks to that, only Shabel and I remained at the table.

“Are you really sure you don't want to come with us?”

“Why on earth would I go there?”

“I know a little about it. Men need to relieve their sexual urges periodically to keep up their strength.”

“Who told you that?”

“Simon did. Isn't it true?”

“I can't say that's completely wrong, but……”

Even so, did she really have to put it so bluntly?

Was she playing word games to get revenge for all the teasing I'd given her?

But Shabel's expression was pure and innocent, as if she truly didn't understand what the problem was.

Apparently, spending time with this hopeless expedition party had rubbed off on her.

“Everyone's different, so you don't need to worry about it, Hero. More importantly, from your perspective, shouldn't you restrict them since it could damage the party's moral standards?”

“As long as everyone does their own job properly, I don't interfere in their private lives. Besides, I have no right to do that.”

“Why not? You're the party's leader.”

“I'm not their leader because I'm more remarkable than they are.”

“Then why are you?”

Shabel paused to choose her words, then added calmly.

“I was given a title beyond my station and entrusted with subjugating the calamities. All I'm doing is taking responsibility for that.”

“Even so, a Hero is still a Hero.”

“I'll give orders if something is necessary for the mission. But I don't think I have the right to decide everything else as I please.”

“Even if they might have a negative impact on the party?”

“If they actually cause a problem, I'll stop them. But I can't control someone who hasn't caused any trouble yet just to make them conform to my standards.”

Just hearing her talk, Shabel sounded like an ideal leader.

An ideal leader who let everyone do as they pleased as long as they handled their own share.

“Is that really the only reason? It's not because you're afraid they'll leave the party?”

But I knew.

The reason Shabel left those hopeless party members alone wasn't simply because she was lenient.

“Simon, the priest, spends his time guzzling liquor and visiting brothels; Ash squanders money; Esca is rigid; and you never know when Morian might cause an accident.”

“……”

“Even so, you can't kick them out, can you? Without them, the subjugation of the calamities would be that much farther away. Am I wrong?”

Shabel didn't answer.

It seemed I'd hit the nail on the head.

Shabel wasn't lenient, nor was she letting them off because she liked them.

Even though every one of them was broken in some way, finding replacements for them in their respective roles would be extremely difficult.

Shabel couldn't defeat the calamities alone, and there was no telling how long it would take to find new companions.

So she had no choice but to overlook most of their problems.

“No matter what you say, I don't care. The fact that they're my companions won't change. The problems they cause are mine to deal with.”

“Even if you regret it later?”

“That too will be mine to deal with.”

Honestly, she was a Hero who was rigid even about pointless things.

By taking every responsibility on herself like that, she let the others cause trouble without a care in the world.

That said, even if I said more, she didn't seem likely to change her mind.

“Understood. If you're going to handle it yourself, I won't interfere either. Just don't ask me to help later.”

“That will never happen, so don't worry.”

Shabel pushed her chair back and stood up.

“Then I'll turn in for the night. You should get some rest too, and don't stay up too la……”

Shabel's movement stopped abruptly.

She felt along her waist and then over her clothes.

Her hands gradually sped up, betraying her growing urgency.

“What's wrong?”

“Just a moment.”

Shabel bent down and checked beneath the chair and table.

“What are you looking for?”

“My money pouch is gone. I definitely put it at my waist after paying for the inn, but……”

I looked at Shabel's waist, but there was no pouch anywhere.

‘Obviously.’

Money goes missing in this party?

Then ten times out of ten, it was that bastard.

“Hero.”

“Yes?”

“Do you remember how Ash left earlier?”

“They stood up and passed behind me…?”

“Ash was sitting opposite you, yet they went out of their way to circle around the table and pass behind you.”

Only then did Shabel's pupils widen as she seemed to grasp what had happened.

Ash had covertly lifted the money pouch.

“Ash…!”

Shabel's eyes blazed.

“Are you going to look for them?”

“Of course. They secretly laid hands on the party funds. I absolutely won't tolerate that.”

“Well, I hope there won't be too much damage.”

I was planning to go upstairs and rest.

“Where are you going?”

Shabel stopped me.

“To go to bed?”

“The party's operating funds have just disappeared, and you're going to go sleep by yourself? You need to look for them too.”

“A moment ago, you said you absolutely wouldn't accept my help.”

“That's different. Where do you think the money for your food and lodging comes from? Of course you need to look for it with us.”

“Ah……”

“Don't sigh. Come out, quickly. If we're late, Ash will squander every last coin.”

Shabel dragged me along and forced me to go hunting for the thief.

That damned petty-thief bitch.

If I catch them, they're dead.