Chapter 36: 34 – Jinwa Empire’s Representatives

"Good news is Haqin doesn't control your debt anymore. Bad news is we took over your debt, so you belong to us now," I explain.

Bogart's mouth hangs open. She still hasn't fully taken in what that meant yet, but as the gears turn in her head, realization hits and she slams her hand down on the countertop.

"That debt doesn't belong to me, I have no reason to pay it back and neither have I any intentions of belonging to anyone." She crosses her arms, fuming so much that she could have smoke coming out of her ears as much as her forge.

The beastling Bogart has cleaned up since we last saw her. Ash and soot no longer stains her face. Instead, Brilliant red scales cover her neck up to her jawline. A lizard-like tail whips angrily back and forth behind her.

"Calm down and let me explain: I told the shithead I would pay the Ramaleiks back, and we will. But a thousand fucking platinums is a thousand fucking platinums. When my posse and I head back to Cynderace, you think they'll take my word for it and leave you alone?" I ask, leaning across the counter to face her.

Bogart's reptilian pupils narrow to thin slits that glare back at me. She sighs, understanding what I said was neither a lie nor threat, but a warning. 

"You want me to return to Cynderace with you?" she asks.

"We would like to hire your services as the Cynderace Branch's armorsmith," Frey says, chiming in. "In return, we can provide you a place to live, and you'll be under the protection of Scoth's strongest adventurers. Namely…"

Frey throws an exhaustive look over her shoulder where Yui clings to her back.

"Yankee diplomacy, banzai!" Yui shouts.

I pat Yui on the head.

"Guild leader here and I are both SS-rank. Ain't no one fucking with you without fucking with us," I assure Bogart.

She thinks long and hard in silence.

I knew from the start getting her to leave wasn't going to be easy. This girl took over what might as well be a family business. Bogart cared enough about the old man to assume his name and continue running his store. Now I'm asking her to leave all that behind.

"Very well," Bogart finally says.

The three of us breathe a sigh of relief. From what we hear on the streets, Bogart the elder was an excellent blacksmith. The Bogart in front of us may not be the same as her master, but if she carried his teachings, then she's a valuable asset to the guild.

More importantly, taking this asset away from Anya and Emir Owyn is a big blow to Amarinth in the long term.

Slowly but surely, I'm bringing Scoth to the top of the food chain.

"I'll need some time to pack my things and charter a wagon or two to transport my belongings. I may be leaving Bogart's place, but I shall bring with it his name." Bogart leans her back against the counter, staring into the workshop below. After she's had her fill of nostalgia, she hands the outfit promised to us. "Old Bogart crafted this for me. Jinwan crystal threads protect against physical trauma, natural cold, and magical cold. They go for nearly a hundred platinum a spool."

Wait...

Old Bogart bought and made something for apprentice Bogart using materials costing a hundred platinum a spool. I'm beginning to understand how he racked up such a large debt in the first place, but I won't say anything.

"Well, whatever… Alright, Yui. Whaddya think—?"

I turn around to see her already dressed in the new clothes. Frey has her hands to her face, eyes peeking between the fingers, red up to her ears. I quickly piece two and two together that Yui just stripped and changed in front of us.

"Oi. Have a little bit more delicacy." I smash a fist on top of Yui's head.

"Uguh— o-oohh! It doesn't hurt, Anego!" She clutches her head, surprised that my hit didn't faze her.

"Huh. Alright, grit your teeth." I wind up Sacchan for a swing, but Frey comes between us.

"STOP! STOP! STOP!" she shouts. "You two will annihilate the store!"

***

Yui can't get enough of her new clothes. She walks for once instead of clinging to one of our backs, taking strides with a spring in her step. They fit her like a glove, despite her being so much smaller than their previous owner. Bogart explained that crystal threads are meant to be very elastic and lightweight, while retaining all the properties of being dense as the jewel itself.

Lucky for Yui because she isn't dressed like a belly dancer anymore. She's already making use of the straps keeping her nunchuck fixed to her shorts.

The outfit has a mix of punk and gothic feel to it. When I really think about it, this world's fashion sense is a lot more nuanced than I gave it credit for. Kain's casual wear back in Cynderace could have gone down a fashion runway as some avant-garde medieval shit.

"You think this is enough to beat Anya?" Yui asks as we're crossing the bridge back to the Emir's palace.

My mouth snaps open with a response, but the words lodge in my throat. I thought I could respond without hesitating. Between our enchanted clothes and weapons, I should be feeling confident.

But I don't.

"Yeah. We'll put her on the ground," I answer, hoping Yui doesn't notice I'm just putting on airs.

An inkling of fear tickles at my mind whenever I think of fighting the Dragon of Tohoku. Anya could have come down to us in Kanto anytime she wanted, and we wouldn't have stood a chance. But I know the only reason she didn't, was because Chika was just below us in Kyoto City.

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Even when she was gone, she still protected us. It makes me feel weak just thinking about it.

We crest over the bridge, but a group of four people stand in the way, preventing us from getting to the other side. They are neither beastlings nor elves, but humans

A large man, tall enough that I have to crane my neck to meet his eyes, stands before the other three. He wears a light blue jacket like a happi coat draped over his shoulder, and a bandana keeps a forest's worth of hair from his stern face. An imposing greatsword almost as large as himself is propped on his back.

 Behind him, sitting on the railings, her raven-hair tied to a bun in the back is a woman as tall as myself. She's dressed in a short-skirted kimono, fishnets on her legs and arms, and a black mask covers her face up to her nose.

They, including the other two with them, look of asian descent.

I don't care who they are or where they came from. Ramaleik's assassins or not, they're in my way of getting back to Loraine.

"You know what the bottom of this river looks like? Because you're about to find out if you don't get the fuck out of our way," I threaten the big man.

A shift in the wind cues me in to the woman landing just behind me. I didn't even see her move. She must be able to dash as fast as Yui. 

Electricity surges across the bridge. The rattling of Yui's nunchuck tells me she's ready to strike.

Suddenly, the large man bows and so do his companions. The woman behind me reappears adjacent to him, and bows as well.

"I am Mingba," a deep voice grumbles. He then introduces his companions beginning with the girl next to him. "Yunlee, Leng, and Fachien."

"Haahh? I don't remember asking for your names," I growl, patting Sacchan against my shoulder.

I hear Frey gasp behind me. She rushes up to me and clutches my arm with shaking hands.

"They're probably the Jinwa Empire's representative in the Lannarkis Ring. I recognize Mingba's name. He was the Emperor's personal guard before being let go of the post," Frey says.

"We have—" Mingba begins.

"Hey, no monologuing!" I shout, but he continues unabated.

"Been watching your movements to get a measure of your strength. Suffice to say, we are impressed. The Empress Consort of the Emperor of Jinwa was right that Anya wasn't the only contender to be cautious about," he says.

"I don't care what kind of person this Empress Consort is, but if you wanna get beat before the actual event, I'm happy to oblige." The moment I ignite my bat, Mingba smiles. I loosen my grip on Sacchan, then make a backhanded swing. The bat lands with a boom in the palm of his hand. "Hah! You're worth something after all!"

A glimmer of light shimmers between the wooden planks of the bridge. Two daggers shoot out. I rear back my head in time to dodge them. Yunlee's spiked glove stops short of slamming into my chest, blocked by the chain of Yui's nunchuck.

The four of us are locked in a standstill, and we're drawing a crowd. Frey materializes her giant mallet, clutching it close, but from the way I see things these guys are far and above her in strength. I keep my eyes on Mingba's sword, which is likely the most devastating piece in their arsenal.

However, the sword never moves from his back. As soon as Mingba lets go of Sacchan, the rest of us disengages.

They walk past us. Frey shoots each of them a look, terrified out of her wits from what happened.

Without turning around, Mingba says, "We look forward to seeing you in the Ring."

"What was that all about?" Frey asks, running up to us.

"Making friends, I guess," I answer, spitting off the side of the bridge.

Why would someone as important as an empress take notice of us? I doubt even the sultan of Amarinth gives two shits, and Emir Owyn only took interest in us because we know Kain.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. I just need to plow through them with Sacchan.

The three of us retire to our rooms. If I didn't see Loraine and Kawa back, I'd planned to look for them, but my worries are unwarranted.

Loraine sits at the foot of the bed. Kawa is sound asleep in wolf form, resting her head on Loraine's lap.

"She tuckered out?" I ask, leaning down to give Loraine a kiss and petting Kawa's head.

"Thanks to Kawa, I've tasted every restaurant on the northside of Ash'tar." Loraine slowly lowers the wolf's head to the floor.

"It's been a long night… could you spoil me tonight?" I ask Loraine, averting my gaze from her.

A pair of cool hands clasp my cheeks, bringing me to meet her eyes. In contrast to the chill on my face, a warm smile beams back at me.

"Of course. Anything for you," Loraine answers affectionately.