Chapter 17 : Golden City (3)

Beneath a ceiling adorned with intricate decorations, a young girl sat.

Estelle, the head of the Golden Chariot Guild.

Her silver hair, which seemed to be about ten years old, fluttered in the breeze. She was far too young to be the guild leader, yet there was a depth in her eyes that was unusual for a child.

“This wine was brought from the Elf Forest. I thought you might like it, Haru…”

Estelle carefully placed a wine glass in front of me. Then, she poured milk into the glass in front of her. The scene, where the childlike and the mature coexisted, made me smile.

“What do you know about choosing wine? You’re just a kid.”

I chuckled softly, and Estelle’s cheeks turned bright red.

“Well… I’ll soon be an adult! My father said that as the head of the guild, I should know how to choose wine…”

Estelle shyly took a sip of her milk. A white milk stain remained on her lips.

“You’ve got milk on your lips.”

“Ah!”

She hurriedly wiped her mouth. Though she was the head of the city’s top guild, she was still just a ten-year-old girl.

“Still, for the head of the guild, the hospitality is excellent.”

The table was filled with a feast of delicacies. Drake tenderloin steaks on golden plates, cheeses aged with divine energy…

At that moment, Nia’s ears perked up, and her black tail flicked suspiciously.

“Elves…?? Haru doesn’t like that stuff! The things Haru hates most are elves, dragons, and the Goddess faction!”

“Me? Since when?”

After a while, Estelle put down her fork. The atmosphere grew heavy.

“This may be the last meal like this.”

Estelle often stared vacantly into the air. She looked like a child bearing an overwhelming burden that didn’t suit her.

“The assassins from earlier… is something going on?”

“My father suddenly passed away.”

Estelle’s voice trembled.

“It was a sudden accident, but… I don’t think that’s the whole story.”

Her fingers trembled slightly. Her eyes grew cold, like moonlight.

“My uncle and cousins initially offered to help. They said, ‘How could you, a child, lead the guild?’…”

Tears welled in Estelle’s eyes.

“But when I refused, they changed. They got angry, looking for weaknesses… Now… they’re even after my life.”

Her shoulders trembled faintly beneath the moonlight.

“The Blue Dragon Society and Diamond Blades have started moving too. Using the business transactions with my father as an excuse… They’re trying to tear the Golden Chariot Guild apart.”

Estelle stood up. Her small silhouette was visible beneath the moonlight.

“Haru, I’ve heard you’re a legendary hero. Please, help me.”

There was a desperate look in her eyes. It was far too heavy for a ten-year-old.

“I… I’m alone now. My father is gone, and I have no one to trust…”

Her last words trailed off. Estelle’s shoulders trembled beneath the moonlight.

At that moment, Nia’s claws flashed. Her black tail swelled threateningly.

“So? You want to protect the guild?”

Tears gathered at the corners of Estelle’s eyes.

“If you help me, Haru, I’ll give you everything I have. The guild, my life…”

Her last words faltered. Her shoulders shook beneath the moonlight.

“Please help me.”

“Haru, let’s go! You shouldn’t get involved with this!”

But I didn’t stand up. Nia’s ears perked up.

“Don’t tell me… again?”

“I’ll help.”

Estelle’s eyes sparkled. Nia’s tail swayed wildly.

“Haru, are you helping just because she’s a girl?!”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Then what is it?”

Nia’s claws scratched the table. A sharp sound echoed.

“I’m… a hero.”

Nia’s eyes glinted suspiciously. But I smiled.

“I can’t ignore someone in need of help.”

“Haru, you’re acting strange.”

Nia’s black ears twitched suspiciously. She hopped up onto the table, coming close to my face.

“Since when have you been such a righteous hero? You’re not like that…”

Nia sighed. Her black tail drooped in resignation.

“Are you hiding something?”

It was a sharp instinct. After five years of fighting together, Nia was different.

Nia’s tail flicked in suspicion. Her golden eyes carefully analyzed my every expression.

“Hiding something? What, you don’t trust me?”

“I get it. If you say so, Haru…”

Estelle’s face brightened. Moonlight filtered through her silver hair.

“Thank you so much! I will surely repay this debt…”

“But!”

Suddenly, Nia jumped up. Her golden eyes gleamed dangerously.

“Don’t target Haru! Haru is Nia’s butler, you know…!”

Nia’s tail swayed threateningly beneath the moonlight. Estelle smiled.

We gathered to start a strategy meeting.

“What should we do…”

Estelle’s sigh echoed in the meeting room. Nia sat by the window, swishing her tail in the moonlight.

“Ah! I’ve got it!”

Suddenly, Nia jumped up. Her golden eyes glinted mischievously.

“What are you thinking?”

“That thing we took from the Diamond Blades headquarters!”

Suddenly, my head throbbed. That theft from before?

“Wait, I thought we agreed to only take what was absolutely necessary.”

“Of course, I only took what was necessary!”

Nia grinned as she pulled out a bundle of documents. Her black tail swayed with the joy of victory.

“Now we need it… So it was necessary!”

I was at a loss for words in the face of this shameless cat logic.

“Let’s see…”

As Estelle scanned the papers, her eyes widened.

“This is the secret ledger of the Diamond Blades?”

“Meow! It’s got everything, from exploiting mine workers to illegal trades!”

Nia shook her tail proudly.

“Truly… the legendary master thief, Black Cat Nia! The one who stole from three cities in a single day!”

“Compliments won’t help! But maybe a little more would be nice?”

Nia’s tail flicked happily at Estelle’s praise.

A sigh escaped me. This shameless cat…

“Enough boasting, but with this, we can put pressure on the Diamond Blades…”

“They won’t be able to refuse either.”
Estelle’s eyes glowed coldly.

“It’s time to move.”

We refined the plan inside the carriage heading to the Diamond Blades headquarters.

“Master, we have an urgent guest!”
As we barged in, the guild’s guards hurriedly ran toward us. But it was already too late.

“This is…”

The head of the Diamond Blades guild turned pale. The papers in his hands were trembling.

“It’s a misunderstanding. This is all a misunderstanding!”

“A misunderstanding… with all this evidence?”

I smiled coldly, and cold sweat gathered on his forehead.

“Alright, I understand. I won’t touch the Golden Chariot Guild’s territory. Please…”

The Diamond Blades surrendered. But this was only the beginning.

“So, what about the Blue Dragon Society…”
Estelle spoke up, worried.

“There’s no evidence.”
Nia cut in with a yawn. Her black tail swayed as though bored.

“The Blue Dragon Society… they’re different.”

I muttered as I glanced over the documents spread on the table. They were a completely different level compared to the Diamond Blades.

“Since they’re pirates, they’ll be more thorough. They probably didn’t even leave documents behind. The evidence of their corruption is probably buried deep beneath the sea.”

Estelle’s voice grew quieter.

Thud—

Suddenly, the meeting room door opened. The secretary rushed in, his face pale.

“This is bad! The Blue Dragon Society… they’ve stationed armed forces at the harbor!”

“How many?”

“At least… about a hundred.”

At the secretary’s words, Estelle’s face turned white. But I couldn’t help but smile.

“This is good. This makes things easier.”

“What? But…”

Estelle looked at me in surprise.

“Estelle, this is our chance.”

She tilted her head at my words.

“What do you mean…?”

“It’s hard to find evidence, but they drew their weapons first, right? Now we can defend ourselves justly.”

“So, what will you do?”

“It’s simple. We’ll draw our swords too.”

As always, Nia wagged her tail beside me.

“Instead of searching for evidence and blackmailing them, this is our style, right, Nia?”

“Meow meow! Let’s do what Haru’s best at!”

Suddenly, Nia’s ears perked up. A dangerous gleam flashed in her golden eyes.

“But… the Blue Dragon Society’s armed forces are a highly notorious elite unit, even within Golden Haven!”

“Meow meow! Have you already forgotten who we are?”

Estelle’s eyes shone with hope.

Yeah, this was exactly the kind of situation that called for the hero to step in.

“Alright, let’s go.”

I stood up.

On the way to the harbor, Nia’s tail wagged excitedly.

“Haru, over there!”

The Blue Dragon Society’s armed forces had taken over the harbor. The elite soldiers, with their pirate origins erased, stood like perfect professionals.

“That’s enough. About 5 minutes?”

“Meow meow! We can do it in 3 minutes!”

Nia’s claws sparkled like moonlight.

“Alright, let’s begin.”

I drew my holy sword, and the enemies charged toward us all at once. But…

Whoosh—

A black shadow streaked like lightning. Nia’s claws swept through the enemies.

Thud—

My holy sword took care of the rest. The coordination honed over five years was flawless.

“Th-this… no S-class adventurer could do this! What in the world did you hire?”

The Blue Dragon Society’s executive asked with a trembling voice.

I pointed my holy sword at his throat and smiled.

“Hmm… it’s a combination of a hero and a cat.”

“I surrender! Please…”

“Move forward, Nia will handle the back!”

“That ship…”

The Blue Dragon Society’s warship was docked at the harbor. Under the moonlight, their flag fluttered.

“Let’s storm the headquarters! Since we’re at it, let’s finish it properly!”

“Good, let’s go.”

We ran across the deck. My sword and claws took turns sweeping through the enemies.

“Now, all that’s left…”

We stood in front of the Blue Dragon Society’s headquarters. Nia’s tail swayed playfully.

“You should make the same choice as Diamond Blades.”

The executives’ faces turned pale. They looked at the fallen armed forces around them, and it seemed like they had already made their decision.

It took less than an hour to capture the Blue Dragon Society’s headquarters.

“Done! It’s all over!”

Nia wagged her tail with satisfaction. The moonlight shone on our shoulders.

“Haru…”

Estelle spoke with a voice filled with emotion.

“Now the Golden Chariot Guild is safe. It’s all thanks to you!”

The victory was still fresh, but there was more work to be done.

A few days later, the sunlight illuminated the golden table on a quiet night.

“Now, the final step.”

Estelle sighed, and her voice echoed in the meeting room. The moonlight bathed the golden table.

“My uncle and cousins have made their final move,” The secretary entered with a grim expression.

“They hired an S-class adventurer?”

Estelle’s voice trembled. The weight on the ten-year-old girl’s shoulders was evident.

“They’re making their last stand for the guildmaster position.”

At the secretary’s words, Nia perked up her ears. Her tail swished playfully.

“Meow meow! I wonder what kind of guys they are!”

“They’re called the ‘Red Blades.'”

Suddenly, Nia’s tail stiffened. Her golden eyes gleamed sharply.

“The sword demons who fought on the front lines against the demon race…”

Estelle’s face turned pale.

S-class adventurers. Their names resonated across the continent.

“Haru, this might really be dangerous.”

Estelle’s voice quivered. But I couldn’t help but smile.

“Don’t worry. This actually works out in our favor.”

“What?”

Nia grinned.

“So, meow, what do we do now?”

“We wait.”

“You still haven’t given up?”

Estelle’s voice echoed in the meeting room. Her uncle suddenly entered and casually leaned back in a chair.

“You haven’t given up, so what else can we do? What could a child like you lead in the guild?”

“Are you underestimating me just because I’m young?”

Estelle’s gaze turned as cold as the moonlight.

“Heh… have you finally realized the reality? You’re still just…”

“My father believed in me.”

Estelle’s firm voice made her uncle’s smile twist.

“My brother is dead! Now no one will watch your back!”

“So, you hired an S-class adventurer?”

Estelle’s words made her uncle grin. His eyes sparkled with greed.

“They are heroes fighting against the demon race. Far beyond your pathetic guards…”

Thud—

The door opened, and the S-class adventurers entered. Their blood-red armor gleamed under the moonlight.

“Now, it begins…”

Her uncle’s words stopped.

The faces of the Red Blades’ sword demons turned pale.

“Y-You… Hero?”

“How have you been, Leo?”

I smiled, and their faces turned even whiter.

“Meow meow! Long time no see!”

Nia jumped onto the table. Her black tail swished dangerously.

Leo’s body trembled. It seemed like memories of Nia’s previous pranks came flooding back.

“Black Claws… Could it be you…”
Leo glared at his uncle.

“Are you telling us to fight against the Hero Party…?”
His hand gripped his sword, then released it.

“The contract is void. Let’s go.”

The S-class adventurers quickly left the room. Her uncle’s last move crumbled in vain.

“What is this…”

Her uncle staggered to his feet, his steps weak as he made his way toward the door.

“Wait, uncle.”

Estelle called out. Her gaze was as cold as moonlight.

“It’s time for you to give up as well.”

“Y-You little…”

At that moment, Nia stepped forward. Her claws faintly glimmered.

“Or should I persuade you myself?”

“Ugh… Aah!”

Her uncle screamed and fled. The door slammed shut.

“Phew…”

Estelle sighed in relief. Fatigue crossed her young face.

“Is it really over now?”

“Yeah. Now it’s time for you to become the true guildmaster.”

The brilliant sunlight shone on her silver hair. The final obstacle had disappeared.

“Meow meow! Congratulations!”

Nia’s tail wagged joyfully. Then, suddenly, she shot Estelle a sharp glare.

“But! From now on, there are rules!”

“Rules?”

Estelle blinked.

“You can’t hug me to say thank you! Especially not if you fall for me! And never call me late at night… Also, don’t ask Haru to pour drinks!”

“Nia, that’s enough…”

“Meow!”

“You can’t be alone with Haru! No eye contact longer than 3 seconds! Haru’s intelligence drops when a woman is around!”

“What are you even saying about me?”

“Still… you should do something to repay Haru…”

As soon as Estelle spoke, Nia’s ears perked up.

“Meow?! Are you trying to repay Haru now?!”

“N-No! I just…”

“Don’t need to do that! We’re leaving now!”

Nia tugged at my clothes. Her black tail flicked anxiously.