Chapter 106
Before entering Peace Town, we had a brief strategy meeting on the outskirts of the village.
First, Vogue, the nominal leader, gathered us in a circle and said, "Actually, our job is simple. The demolition order has already been issued, so we just need to drive people out. But there's one important thing."
"What is it?"
"We can't kill the villagers."
Well, that's...
I didn't intend to kill villagers anyway if I could help it.
But then a somewhat gloomy guy next to me raised his hand and asked, "...Why can't we kill them?"
"..."
Everyone paused and looked at him in response to his question.
Vogue also looked at him with slightly bewildered eyes and called out, "Hey, Joshua. What are you saying?"
So the gloomy guy's name was Joshua.
This was the first time I heard his name since he coldly brushed off introductions earlier.
"If you kill people, you become an outlaw. Do you want to become an outlaw?"
"There's probably no sheriff in that small village anyway, and no one outside will know what happens there, so what does it matter?"
Peace Town was slightly larger than half the size of Justice Town.
In fact, Justice Town's sheriff's office was unusual; a village that small wouldn't even have one sheriff, let alone a sheriff's office, as Joshua said.
...Or so I thought, but Vogue shook his head and gave an unexpected answer, "No, there is one sheriff."
"...There's a sheriff?"
The surroundings stirred at the mention of a sheriff.
It was tricky for seven ordinary gunslingers to deal with a sheriff backed by legal authority.
But...
"There is a sheriff, but he's a self-proclaimed sheriff."
"Ah."
It seemed there wasn't a proper sheriff in that small village after all.
A self-proclaimed sheriff, huh?
There were occasionally such people.
The village was too small to call for an official sheriff, but if left completely unprotected, there would be problems with public safety.
So they either elected someone from the village or someone volunteered to become the sheriff.
Sometimes as the village grows, the self-proclaimed sheriff gets officially appointed, but...
It didn't seem to be the case for Peace Town.
"He's not an official sheriff, so don't be too scared."
"Understood."
"Ah, and I couldn't say this earlier because the conversation suddenly changed... There's another reason why we shouldn't kill the villagers."
"What is it?"
"The company told us not to."
The one paying us was the company, that was, Lloyd Railroad Company.
If the higher-ups told us not to do it, we simply couldn’t do it.
Vogue nodded and continued, "From what I heard, Lloyd Railroad Company seems to have done something to upset the California state government. Because of that, the state government is making a fuss and nitpicking about this railroad construction?"
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yeah, so they want us to make sure no one dies to avoid being caught on technicalities. The company wants us to handle this quietly and cleanly."
Quietly and cleanly.
That was easier said than done.
How were we supposed to quietly and cleanly push out a village with these six useless guys here?
Above all, this was my first time doing this kind of hired thug work, and I wasn’t used to it.
Could a good person like me threaten and drive people out like a thug...
Seeing my worried expression, Vogue next to me slapped my back.
"Hey, Youngest. Why are you making such a troubled face? Don't tell me you're scared?"
"...Yes, I'm a bit worried."
"Kid, you just need to follow this boss. Okay?"
He then said with an evil face, "Hehe, I'm planning to push out that village very viciously and cruelly."
Tap.
As he said this, Vogue's hand had three fingers extended.
"Three months."
"..."
"We'll clear out that village within three months."
"...T-that quickly?"
The other gunslingers sighed and showed reluctance at Vogue's declaration.
But...
...Three months?
I couldn't help but be a bit bewildered.
I was planning to handle pushing out that village and driving away the Indians within a month...
Honestly, three months was too long.
If we dragged it out for three months, that sharp-sensed Sophia might notice and come here.
Is pushing out a village that difficult a task?
I had doubts, but since the others said they had done this kind of job a few times, I had no choice but to follow them.
"Alright, then let's slowly enter the village now. Today is the first day, so think of it as reconnaissance."
So we slowly rode our horses into the village.
The outward appearance of Peace Town was truly peaceful, living up to its name.
***
As we approached the village entrance, we saw one person.
Thwack—! Thwack—!
He seemed to be a farmer working at the village entrance, digging the ground with a hoe.
The man who was diligently tilling the field while sweating...
"...Huh? Y-you bastards-!"
As soon as he saw us, he came running like mad with his hoe.
"Hey, you sons of bitches! Didn't I tell you I'd blow your faces off if you came again!!"
"Ugh. Is it that old geezer greeting us as soon as we arrive this time too?"
Vogue frowned as soon as he saw the old farmer approaching, as if they were acquainted.
"Do you know him?"
"...He's a farmer who's said to have lived in this village for a long time, but he has a fiery temper. We had such a hard time with him last time."
As Vogue made a fed-up expression but did nothing, the other gunslingers also hesitated.
Then the old farmer ran up close to us and started shouting, "We're not leaving here!! Could you live somewhere else after living in a village for decades?! Huh?!"
"...Look, old man. We told you. The demolition order has already been issued."
"Nonsense about demolition orders! Hey, you bastard. Aren't you getting off your horse? I'll dig your face with this hoe, so get down quickly!"
Whoosh—!
Saying that, the old man really swung his hoe at us.
Although we wouldn't get hurt by the weak old man's hoe swinging, it was still threatening.
At this, Vogue couldn't do anything and...
Hey, Youngest—!
He ordered me with his eyes.
You step up—!
When did he go from telling me to just trust and follow him to already passing the buck?
As the atmosphere was that of the other gunslingers also pushing the job onto me, the youngest, I let out a small sigh and got off my horse.
"Hey, old man. Please calm down..."
"Who are you, you bastard—!"
It seemed I looked the easiest target among the seven gunslingers here because I was the youngest and had the palest skin.
As I got off my horse and approached, the highly excited farmer focused on me and swung his hoe like a sword.
Whoosh—! Whoooosh—!!
I dodged those and turned back to ask Vogue with my eyes.
What do I do now?
What do you mean, you bastard! You have to tell him to leave this village!
He doesn't seem to be in the mood to listen to me?
Act as aggressively as possible, aggressively! Then he'll listen to you!
Act aggressively?
How should I act aggressively to get a good reputation?
I considered raising my fist and swinging first, but shook my head.
The farmer in front of me was an elderly man.
Even if he was an NPC, it didn't look good to punch such a weak old man.
Okay, then a bit lightly...
So I finished my brief deliberation and...
Thwack—!
"Guhuckkk!"
I tripped the approaching farmer's foot and made him fall backwards.
Thud—!!
"...Ugh, uuugh! Y-you bastard...!!"
The farmer couldn't easily get up, probably because his butt hurt from falling backwards.
I pushed the farmer's shoulder with my foot, pressing him back down to the ground.
Thud!
"Ughhh!"
It wasn't a particularly painful method.
But not expecting me to do this, the farmer showed a perplexed expression and became more docile than before.
Is this enough?
Thinking this level of aggressiveness might be enough, I turned around.
"..."
The other gunslingers were looking at me with blank expressions.
That look somehow seemed to tell me to be more aggressive, so I drew my gun.
Click.
"Hey, hey, hey! W-wait...!!"
I heard the other gunslingers trying to stop me from behind, but I was already pulling the trigger.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang—!!!
A clean 6-shot fanning fire.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Of course, I didn't kill the farmer, just shot to graze around his face.
But because it was so close, the old farmer probably thought he was going to die for sure.
"Huff... huff..."
Indeed, he could no longer charge at me and just breathed heavily with a face full of terror.
"..."
Click.
I quietly looked down at him and drew the revolver from my other holster.
"W-wait a moment.... Huu..., j-just a moment...!"
As soon as he saw me drawing another gun, the farmer begged me desperately, in a different tone from before, "P-please spare me...! Hii, hiik...! P-please spare my life...!!"
"Leave this village. The demolition order has been issued."
Click.
As I said this and cocked the hammer, the farmer pleaded while shedding tears, "M-my daughter gave birth to my granddaughter last month...!! Huu... where are we supposed to go if we leave this village where we've lived our whole lives with nothing...! Huuuk...!"
The farmer seemed to be trying to persuade me with sympathy, but I focused on something else in his words.
"Aha, you have a daughter and granddaughter?"
"...!!!!"
When I mentioned his daughter and granddaughter while holding a gun, the farmer's eyes widened as if he'd seen a ghost.
I smiled at the farmer and asked.
Click.
"Where's your house, old man? I think I need to go there and have a talk."
"N-no!! My daughter and granddaughter...!! Huaaa...! I-I'll do anything you say, please...!!"
Like that, before long, I was able to get a promise from the farmer that he would leave the village as soon as possible.
"Yes, old man! Then I'll visit your house with a gift for your granddaughter in three days!"
"Huuuuuk...!"
After seeing off the crying and fleeing farmer, I returned to my companions.
They still had blank faces.
"Is this roughly how it's done?"
"..."
The look in their eyes as they watched me had changed somehow.
***
"Wow, it's pretty. Are you selling this?"
"Ah, yes! Hehe. It's a wooden craft doll I made with great care over a long time. But who are—"
Bang—!
Crash.
"Who told you to do business here?!!"
"Oh, oh my goodness, why are you doing this...!! Oh, oh dear...!!"
That day, I was able to find an unexpected true calling in Peace Town.