Chapter 37
"Oof!"
As soon as I arrived at the hotel room, I jumped onto the bed in my room.
"Wow, a suite room really is different, starting from the bed."
Even now, many people in the West used beds made of straw or reeds.
My bed in Justice Town was considered luxurious for the era, but it was cheap compared to the bed I used in modern times.
So I couldn't help but be impressed by the softness of the first-class bed on the train.
But the bed in this suite room was even more comfortable than that first-class bed.
"I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight."
I still had fatigue from the train journey that lasted over a week, and my stomach was full from all the chicken I had eaten earlier.
On top of that, my back was warm and comfortable, so I felt like I could fall asleep at any moment.
As I was rolling around on the bed, enjoying the softness of the sheets, that was when it happened.
Knock knock.
"Boss, it's Emma. May I come in for a moment?"
"Come in."
Emma entered with the sound of knocking on the door.
"Oh, Emma. What's up?"
"..."
"Did you come because you want to lie down on my bed together?"
I threw out a joke expecting Emma's disgusted expression, but Emma maintained her expressionless face.
Only then did I stop joking and ask in a nonchalant voice, "Why? What's the matter?"
"No, I was just curious about why you made that choice earlier."
"..."
The “that choice” Emma mentioned probably referred to my decision not to immediately capture Django and Josephine earlier.
— Let's just go back today?
— Pardon? But if we raid the room right now, we could catch them immediately.
— I'm tired. Let's just go today. It's not like they're going anywhere tomorrow anyway.
I decided to raid Django and Josephine tomorrow, not today.
For Emma, who had worked with me for the past 3 years, this decision of mine must have been quite unexpected.
"Boss, haven't you always caught outlaws without hesitation when they were right in front of you?"
"..."
"So I was wondering why you postponed the job today..."
I looked at the ceiling for a moment before answering Emma's question.
"They're not outlaws, you know."
"..."
I didn't sympathize with NPCs.
That was the same whether they were outlaws or civilians.
But that didn't mean outlaw NPCs and civilian NPCs were the same.
This request wasn't simply about catching and killing outlaw NPCs, but interfering with a civilian NPC couple who loved each other.
From my perspective, it was bound to be a bit uncomfortable.
And above all... um... let's talk about this later.
"Emma, you said you met Josephine by chance at the cafe and talked briefly? How was she in person?"
"She seemed to be a person with good manners and a kind nature."
Emma was thorough in her evaluations of others.
For Emma to say that, Josephine's personality must certainly not be bad.
"They looked good together earlier. There's no need to ruin that atmosphere today."
That was why I decided to give them a day's reprieve.
Let them spend time together for one more day.
After expressing this underlying intention, the atmosphere somehow became serious.
So I smiled playfully as usual and said to Emma, "And if I catch them right away today, our country girl Emma won't be able to tour San Francisco."
"..."
"I'll catch them tomorrow for sure, so if there's anything you want to see in San Francisco, tomorrow..."
But Emma continued her questions, still maintaining her expressionless face, "...Boss, will you accept the 10,000 dollar fee or the 20,000 dollar fee?"
"..."
Whether to accept the 10,000 dollar fee or the 20,000 dollar fee.
The implication was simple.
Would I not kill Django or would I kill him?
If we just take Josephine back to Justice Town, it would be 10,000 dollars.
If we kill edDjango too, it would 20,000 dollars.
So I thought for a moment and then mentally called out for logout.
[Unable to log out]
[Remaining amount until logout: $905,586 / $1,000,000]
94,500 dollars left until I could go home...
There was really not much left now.
10,000 dollars and 20,000 dollars differed by just one digit, but in reality, it was a huge difference.
If I got 20,000 dollars here, the date of my return home would be drastically accelerated.
But...
"..."
I couldn't readily tell Emma that I would take the 20,000 dollars.
Why is that?
At that moment, memories of my military days just before entering this damn Western game flashed through my mind.
Even the devil seniors who ran around like crazy and tormented juniors during their private and corporal days would soften their personalities and pretend to be nice when they became sergeants close to going home.
I was no different from a Western sergeant close to going home, with not much time left until I can go home.
So I guess I wanted to pretend to be nice too.
"...We've earned a lot of money this year, haven't we?"
"...!"
"Anything in excess is bad. Isn't 10,000 dollars enough this time?"
"..."
It was something I wouldn't have said normally.
But...
Smile.
...As soon as she heard those words, a small smile bloomed on Emma's previously expressionless face, "...Yes, I'll keep that in mind then."
"..."
"We'll have to get up early tomorrow morning to tail them. I'll go back to sleep now. You should go to bed soon too, boss."
With those final words, Emma turned around as if to return to her room.
I gave her one last comment, "Emma."
"Yes?"
"You look good when you smile. Smile often."
"..."
Emma rarely smiled in Justice Tow.
There was probably no harder order than telling someone who didn't usually smile to smile often.
But...
"...I'll try."
Emma finally nodded and returned to her room.
After Emma went back to her room, I laid down on the bed.
And as soon as I closed my eyes, sleepiness washed over me.
***
The suite room Noah booked was practically a mansion with four private rooms attached.
Billie, who was assigned one of the private rooms as Noah and Emma's supervisor, also fell asleep in the same suite.
And...
Flash.
She opened her eyes in the dead of night when everyone was asleep.
"..."
Billie, who quickly changed her clothes, first checked Noah's room and Emma's room.
"Snore..."
"..."
Both Noah and Emma seemed to be in deep sleep, judging by their regular breathing sounds.
As soon as she confirmed this, she quietly left the room and borrowed a horse from the hotel stable.
Clop clop—clop clop.
The place Billie headed on horseback was San Francisco City Hall.
City Hall, well past midnight, was of course dark.
But as Billie climbed the building through the back door she was familiar with, one room caught her eye where the light was still on.
It was Mayor Luke's office.
As Billie approached the office, the South Brotherhood gang members guarding Luke bowed their heads.
Billie casually waved to them and knocked on the door.
"Mayor, it's Billie. May I come in?"
"Come in."
Creak.
Scratch scratch.
Luke was still doing paperwork even at this hour, well past midnight.
Such diligence was the driving force that quickly elevated Luke, who was just a Southern Confederate officer, to the position of San Francisco mayor.
Billie bowed her head with genuine respect for Luke's appearance.
Luke casually gestured for Billie to rise and asked, "Nothing happened with Kid today, right?"
Even as he asked, Luke still didn't take his hands off the documents.
But...
"Well..."
"...?"
When Billie hesitated to answer, only then did he take his hands off and stare at her.
Seeing Luke's eyes turn somewhat chilling at the mention of Kid, Billie told him about Noah briefly escaping from her.
And after hearing the whole story from Billie, Luke...
"Puhaha!"
Just laughed.
"He ran away right after making a promise with me and parting? Ahaha."
"...I'm sorry. I should have been more careful."
"No, it's not your fault. That's just how he is."
Billie bowed her head as if apologetic, but Luke had no intention of blaming her.
From the beginning, Luke had no expectation that Billie could control Noah.
"It's really okay, so stop blaming yourself. Other than that, is there any other news?"
"Ah, as for other news..."
Billie reported to Luke that Noah had found Django and Josephine, the targets of his request.
Hearing this report, Luke widened his eyes as if curious and replied, "Well, well. He's still a lucky bastard. Found his targets in just one day."
"Yes, we even confirmed where those two are staying."
"Then do you also know that those two are about to leave San Francisco soon?"
"...Pardon?"
Billie raised her head in surprise at Luke's sudden words.
Luke handed her a piece of paper he had placed in front.
"This is..."
"We just found those two friends, Django and Josephine, too. But it turns out they were planning to leave San Francisco soon."
"..."
Billie read the paper Luke gave her.
It was a passenger list.
[Passenger List for SS Auklay bound for Hawaii]
[Django Montague]
[Josephine Capulet]
"They're going... to Hawaii?"
"Yes, the date is tomorrow night. Make sure to tell Kid first thing tomorrow morning so he doesn't get angry about missing them."
"Yes, I understand."
"If you're done reporting, you can go back now."
"..."
"...?"
Despite Luke's dismissal, Billie didn't leave, as if she had something more to say.
As Luke waited for her, Billie spoke hesitantly, "Actually... there's something that concerns me."
"Something that concerns you? Tell me."
"I'm not sure if Noah and Emma know this, but... it seems there's someone tailing the two of them."
"...Tailing?"
Luke sharpened his gaze at Billie's new report and straightened in his seat.
***
Meanwhile, at the Pinkerton San Francisco branch.
"Branch Chief, you're here."
"...Yeah, oh man, what time is it now..."
Branch Chief Ash Gray, who had been harassed by Pinkerton executives for failing to persuade Luke, entered the branch with weary eyes.
Despite it being well past midnight, many agents hadn't gone home.
"Is everyone working overtime? Why?"
"Ah, about that, Branch Chief. The train from Lloyd Company that arrived today was attacked by outlaws."
"...What?"
Lloyd Company was one of the top 1 or 2 railroad companies in the West.
To think a train from such a company was attacked by outlaws.
Ash's eyes changed, and he asked in a sharp voice, "Who were they?"
Swish.
The Pinkerton agent showed Ash a wanted poster and answered:
"It's the Jackson Train Robber Gang that was active in Nevada three years ago."
"The Jackson Train Robber Gang... I think I've heard of them. So what's the damage situation?"
"There were many distinguished guests on this train, including Mr. Lloyd, the president of Lloyd Company, but... there were no casualties, and the Jackson Train Robber Gang was completely wiped out."
"...What? No casualties and the train robber gang was wiped out?"
The Jackson Train Robber Gang was quite vicious, enough for Ash to remember their name even after so much time had passed.
But no casualties and the train robber gang was wiped out...?
"Is that really true? Are you sure?"
"Yes, we compared the bodies provided by Lloyd Company and the face and characteristics of the captured leader Jackson with the wanted posters, and they all matched."
"Huh, I guess Lloyd Company thoroughly secured the train because of the distinguished guests."
Lloyd Company was the only railroad company in the West that didn't use Pinkerton's security services.
Honestly, from Ash's perspective, it left a bitter taste that Lloyd Company had eliminated the outlaws without Pinkerton's help.
But as Ash was shaking his head, his subordinate revealed an unexpected fact, "No, it wasn't Lloyd Company employees who eliminated the train robber gang, but a single sheriff who was on the train."
"A single sheriff?"
What's this now?
The Jackson Train Robber Gang must have had at least dozens of members, but a single sheriff dealt with them?
For a moment, Ash thought his subordinate was joking, but judging by his expression, it didn't seem so.
The subordinate reported based on documents containing passenger testimonies, as if he couldn't believe it himself:
"Not only the distinguished guests in first class, but even regular passengers were unanimous in their praise. They called him the hero of the train..."
"So you're saying this is really true…? That's impossible. Who is this sheriff?"
"Ah, it's written here."
The subordinate said the name of that sheriff written in the document.
And...
"It's a name called Jett Gray, sheriff of Justice Town."
"...Huh?"
As soon as he heard that name, Ash Gray couldn't help but tilt his head.
That was because...
"...Brother? Wait a minute, why is brother Jett's name coming up there?"
Jett Gray was none other than Ash Gray's older brother.
Confused by the sudden appearance of Jett's name, Ash asked again, but the subordinate's answer was the same, "Yes, it's Jett Gray, sheriff of Justice Town. But why... oh, your surname is the same as the Branch Chief's."
"Yes, he's my older brother. But this guy came to San Francisco?"
Jett was someone who left saying he disliked San Francisco because it was too noisy.
And objectively speaking, Jett's skills weren't enough to eliminate a train robber gang alone.
...Above all, if brother came to San Francisco, he would have come to see me right away.
Though they had been separated for a long time, the relationship between the brothers wasn't bad.
If Jett had business in California, he always met Ash, and if Ash had business in Utah, he always met Jett.
If Jett had come to San Francisco, he would have come straight to the Pinkerton branch, but it was very strange that he didn't.
"...As soon as it's dawn tomorrow, take some men and properly investigate this incident. And find out where the person called Jett Gray went too."
"Yes."
Instinctively sensing something, Ash Gray ordered his subordinate to dig into the truth of the incident.
These days it was practically called a mercenary company, but Pinkerton's original business was private investigation.
Believing he would soon know the truth about the train robbery incident, Ash...
"Oh my, then I should start on some paperwork now too."
...immediately started working overtime.
[We never sleep]
Today especially, the motto on the wall felt like it was watching whether Ash was working hard.
And so, as many people spent a sleepless night...
The morning sun rose.