14. Goblin Merchant (2)
“But there’s one thing I'm curious about, Mr. Mirai.”
Reisse's emerald eyes flashed subtly.
“What is it?”
“How will you be able to pay if you have no money? In addition, interest has already begun since one week ago. The original loan was 100,000, but the interest alone is already at 40,000.”
“What…!”
“Please make your payment.”
“In the first place, is it not ridiculous that the compound interest is 40% in a week!? That’s excessively expensive!”
“I apologize, but the company is firm on the contract.”
“Friend Company, or whatever they’re called, I’ll make a formal complaint! This kind of interest rate is both economically and logically an evil influence to this world…”
“If I’m remembering correctly, Mr. Mirai was warned from the beginning. That, unless it was a desperate situation, to never borrow money from our firm. But the one who pushed for it was none other than Mr. Mirai.”
“No. That wasn’t me who borrowed that money…! It was the me from two weeks ago god damn it!!”
I clenched my teeth and roared.
Why did I have to pay back money when society had already collapsed?
It was irrational. Ah, irrational beyond measure.
Life being beautiful was, as expected, a delusion.
Life was dirty and cheap.
“I apologize, but this one does not understand what you are saying.”
“Sigh. Forget it.”
Reisse Gier looked in a way as if she was looking at something rotten.
“If it truly is too difficult, then there is also the option to declare bankruptcy.”
“...”
Ugh…
Where should I go to deal with this unfairness? The cops? Court? Or maybe a mental hospital?
I just wanted to comfortably live the remainder of my life as a NEET in the corner of my house. Peacefully. Without causing any fuss.
Were you blocking me off from even this small desire? Was the world messing with me?
I want to kill myself…
“Mr. Mirai. It is not embarrassing to not have the ability to pay back the loan. However, the thing that is embarrassing is the attitude of trying to purchase when you don’t have the ability to do so.”
“But I can pay.”
“… Haaa. Of course.”
“You really do have the aptitude of making people upset, huh!?”
“This one will say it again, but declaring bankruptcy is also a fine idea. If Mr. Mirai can’t possibly pay off the debt, then please do put into consideration this option.”
“No! I’m telling you that I can seriously pay.”
I was getting a headache by this loan shark.
“Hm, but… What will happen if I do declare bankruptcy?”
“For starters, our company will claim all rights to this apartment.”
They’ll seize my home.
A beautiful hell of a life was already being spread before me.
“After that, our company will make a few requests to Mr. Mirai. All Mr. Mirai has to do is oblige.”
“So I’ll be downgraded to your company’s slave?”
“My apologies, but that is so.”
“It wouldn’t even be fun to use me as a slave.”
I said this with an earnest expression.
“That is alright.”
“You really are quite honest.”
“Unfortunately, the only product that Mr. Mirai can purchase from this one is honesty.”
But you don’t have anything so you can’t buy anything, anyways.
That was the nuance that she had plainly put into her words.
But the thing is, I do! I have the ability to pay her!
Damn it.
I disliked her.
I really disliked her.
I disliked her to the point that I wanted to step on her foot.
“...Mr. Mirai?”
“What is it?”
“Mr. Mirai is right now stepping on this one’s left foot.”
“I consider it a compliment that my thoughts and actions line up.”
“It hurts.”
“You don’t look like you’re in pain.”
“I’m sorry… but I actually feel more pleasure from it.”
“Were you perhaps a pervert!?”
“...”
“I knew it… all Goblins are damn perverts!!”
“Please don’t be racist.”
“Why are you the one acting high and mighty…!”
“I’m sorry, but this one is actually a very competent person.”
“Annoying! You’re seriously annoying!”
“I am, indeed, a Goblin. It is true that my race is so lowly that I am considered detestable. Born an orphan, I roamed the bottom of the streets for twenty years. However, I was able to succeed in life with my ability alone. Now, I am currently a white-collar worker for the biggest firm in the fantasy continent, Friends Inc.”
“You really are competent…!?”
“That is correct.”
“You’re competent, but as expected, you’re annoying as well. What’s with that."
“My apologies. Since this one is always honest to clients.”
“If that’s honesty, then the world is better off with everyone being liars.”
I wonder why.
For some reason, I feel especially offended. The girl was shooting spiteful remarks at me, stabbing into my chest.
“I will make myself clear now. I do not plan to become someone’s slave.”
“Understood.”
Reisse nodded.
“Then please pay the debt.”
“Sorry, but I don’t have money either. Tsk tsk, it’s quite the shame. I want to give you the money but it seems my pockets are empty, so, I can’t! Haha! Ahahaha!”
“…”
“Hahaha!!”
“Mir. Mirai. Do you truly have the will to pay back the debt?”
“Indeed. I’m a man who’s constantly burning with will. Ahh, what a tragedy. I sincerely want to give you the money, but since I have zero money, like you said, I am unable to do anything. Restrictions. These pesky restrictions.”
“Then work to pay it off.”
“…Eh?”
Reisse pulled out a gray sack and rummaged around inside.
A bright glow formed for a moment, and then the goblin girl was holding a pickaxe in her hand.
A pickaxe.
It was something you’d see a seasoned worker using in a mine.
“…Why are you giving this to me?”
“...”
“Are you perhaps telling me to become a miner and work?”
“Yes.”
“Are you serious.”
“Did Mr. Mirai not say that he was overflowing with will?”
Reisse handed the pickaxe to me.
I stared blankly at the wooden stick with another iron stick attached to it.
“Now all Mr. Mirai has to do is emit that will.”
“…”
“...”
“Hold on.”
“Yes?”
“Let’s make things clear. I will… pay off my debts next week. But I can also pay for some magical items of yours as well. Two things can be true at once, you know?”
“...”
“How about it.”
“Very well.”
The goblin gave me an eye-smile. I suddenly felt as though this entire conversation was only done in order to irritate me.
“Then, make your choice. This one is interested in what the payment will be, if Mr. Mirai can even pay in the first place, of course.”
“How many times do I have to tell you, damn it…”
I mumbled the words, but I didn’t really mean it.
Because an utterly confusing sight was happening in front of me.
The small Reisse was rapidly pulling out various items out of her bag, some tiny enough to fit in the palm of my hand, others as large as a refrigerator.
“Are these all… magical items?”
“Mr. Mirai is correct.”
Oh wow.
The items were all laid out in the hallway, and with a quick glance I could count around ten in total.
I was simply hoping for some tools I could use to boost our success rate during the quest, but this seemed more than plentiful.
[Blood-Stained Effigy]
[Die. But die knowing that your pathetic life will yield a great bounty for me.]
[Infamous Knight’s Needle]
[Entertain me.]
[Tattered Scroll]
[Your laws, like your bones, were made to be broken.]
[Phoenix Pendant.]
[The first birth celebrates life. The second birth mocks it.]
[Tyrant’s Crown.]
[Do the innocent pay for the crimes of the guilty? Of course they do. That’s the fate of the weak.]
[...]
When I concentrated my eyes, I could see descriptions of the items. But there was only one problem. I didn’t know what they did.
“Hmmm…”
I pretended to think in order to give myself extra time to decide on what to do.
Should I perhaps choose the most menacing looking one…?
The Tyrant’s Crown was pretty impressive-looking. It was a gigantic contraption filled with sharp needles and wires with a chair in the middle. How evil.
Or maybe…
“Psssst.”
Or maybe that one…
“Psssst.”
Or…
“Oi!!”
My train of thought was broken by someone’s pestering.
I turned around and realized it was Usavich, who had leaned forward.
“Oi, human…”
She cupped her hand around her mouth, as if trying to keep a secret hidden.
“That one… choose that one. I promise on the name of the Pirate King…”
“...”
I nodded slightly, and approached the item Usavich had gestured at.
A small bottle.
[Wish in a Bottle.]
[I never had the chance to say thank you. Or goodbye.]
It was an otherwise ordinary bottle, except for the fact that there was a small orb that faintly glowed inside.
“Psst.”
I leaned over and cupped my hand around my mouth.
“What is it, human…?”
Usavich imitated me who had imitated her.
“Can you lend me some money…?”
“...”
“...”
“My sisters manage my gold.”
“Then…”
“Fine, this Usavich will handle it.”
The small mermaid immediately brightened up and approached the goblin girl.
“Hey!”
“Hello.”
Usavich rotated her wrist.
From where I was standing, her face was unobservable.
“How dare you make a fool out of Usavich’s friend.”
“...?”
Snap.
“...!!!!’
SPLOOOOSH.
Suddenly, one of the apartment doors across from mine slammed open, revealing a gigantic tidal wave of water.
It swept up Reisse, sending her crashing into the window at the far side of the hallway.
“Kyahahahaha!!”
“Holy shit.”
“Kyahahahahahaha!!”
Immediately, I scurried over and began to haul the magical items that hadn’t been washed away into the apartment.
“Good job, Usavich!! Wow, I’m actually pretty proud of you!”
“Mmmm!! Usavich was just frustrated… frustrated that such a worm was talking in such manner!!”
I felt the corners of my mouth turning upwards.
“Thanks… and you called me your friend?”
At my words, a hot flush spread on Usavich’s cute face.
“Err… well… well!! Forget it!!”
As a reward, for the rest of the day, I introduced the little mermaid to “ice-cream”.
