"Noah, what do you think?"
We had left the blacksmith shop and returned to the place where I had bumped into the thief. Of course, we paid for the repairs properly—well, Rubia did, anyway.
Once I find the money, I'll make sure to repay her with interest.
"Hmm... There are just too many people carrying money."
I spread out my senses to scan the people around us. But... there were so many people carrying coins. In fact, everyone had cash on them.
I grumbled inwardly, wondering why everyone had to carry so much cash, but of course, there were no cards or digital payments here.
But the real issue was that I couldn't tell the difference between gold and silver coins!
They were all just round coins... none of them stood out. And since they were moving around inside people's pockets, I couldn't count them properly either...
"That makes sense... but don't overdo it by pushing your senses too far. If you start bleeding like last time, I won't buy you any more jelly. And no snacks, either."
"Wait... so if I don't find the money, I'm going to starve...?"
"No, you're not going to starve. Just don't push yourself too hard, okay?"
"But still..."
It's 27 gold coins.
A whopping 27 gold coins!!
I worked so hard for two months to save up that money. And it even included the advance payment from Rubia's commission!
My entire fortune!!!
"Noah, it's okay. I'll help solve the money issue. For now, just focus on searching without overexerting yourself."
"...Alright."
I had no choice but to nod at Rubia's words.
If I pushed myself too hard, started bleeding, and still didn't find the money... I might end up starving for real.
"Do you think you could find them if I describe the clothes the thief was wearing?"
"Clothes? Hmm... I'm not sure if I can get exact details, but I might be able to pick up on the general feel."
I could sense Rubia's robe, Heinzel's armor, and Luchi's coat, for example. I couldn't tell the exact designs, but I could get the gist of what people were wearing. If there was something distinct, I might be able to find the thief more easily!
"Go ahead and tell me. Was there anything special about his appearance?"
"Let me think. His height was about 185 cm, and he was really skinny, probably around 60 kg. He was wearing a simple long-sleeved tunic, and his pants were... just regular pants."
"Hmm... Any accessories?"
"Not really... Oh, but his shoes had metal plates in them. You know, the kind that adventurers often wear."
Metal plates?
"Ah...! Was he an adventurer?"
There's this type of shoe adventurers often wear, similar to safety shoes from back on Earth—steel-toed boots with metal plates running from the toes to the top of the foot.
I never wore them because they didn't have my size, but most adventurers did. The design looked cool, and I always wanted to try them out.
"Yeah, he could've been. Can you try searching for him? Do you think you can manage?"
I nodded immediately and began filtering through the information in my mind, piece by piece.
"Hmm... There's no one matching that description within 20 meters."
"Got it. Let's keep moving in the direction that guy was heading."
"Okay...!"
Following Rubia, I began running through the village again.
And as we were running—
"Hey, there's Uncle Luchi and Uncle Heinzel!"
I sensed Luchi and Heinzel nearby.
"Great! I'll go ask them for help. Where are they?"
"Follow me!"
I grabbed Rubia's hand and ran toward where they were. Along the way, Rubia stumbled a bit, but she managed to keep up.
"N-Noah! You're going too fast!"
"We're almost there! Ah, Uncle Luchi! Uncle Heinzel!"
"Oh, done with the repairs and ready for a spar?"
"Hey, kid! Come over here and grab some of this meat!"
Luchi and Heinzel were sitting at an outdoor table, devouring stone-grilled steak with both hands, looking like total barbarians.
"N-No, not here for a spar... I-I lost my money..."
"Phew... Noah, let me explain."
Rubia, looking completely exhausted, stepped forward.
"Noah lost her money, and it seems like it was stolen by a pickpocket. We're trying to track down the thief... but I see you're in the middle of eating."
"How much did you lose to make such a fuss?"
"W-Well... 27 gold coins... It was... my entire... hic... my entire fortune..."
"27 gold... That's no small amount."
Luchi nodded and put down his steak.
Then, he reached over and grabbed Heinzel's steak, slamming it onto the plate.
"Heinzel. Are you just going to keep stuffing your face?"
"Hmm, I was just about to get up. But one more bite would really give me the energy I need."
"Yeah, keep eating if you want. I'm getting up."
"Kahahaha! I'm just kidding! You know I wouldn't do that!"
When Luchi stood up, Heinzel followed suit, wiping the grease from his hands on his clothes.
Ugh... gross...
"What did the thief look like?"
"About 185 cm tall, 60 kg, wearing adventurer's boots. His hair was dark brown, with dark circles under his eyes. He had round eyes, a thin nose, thick lips, and... oh, he had a scar running from the corner of his mouth to his ear."
Rubia gave a detailed description of the thief's appearance.
I realized how much she was helping me, since I couldn't see any of these details myself. It made me feel... a bit bitter.
"Hmm, I think I've got a good picture of him!"
Heinzel nodded as he gathered his belongings, while Luchi clenched his fist and stood still, silent for a long moment.
After what felt like an eternity, Luchi spoke in a low, serious voice.
"Are you sure that's what he looked like, young lady?"
"Yes, I'm certain. Though I can't say for sure he was the one who stole the money... It's just a strong possibility."
"We'll know soon enough once we catch him! I'm an expert at this kind of job. Leave it to me!"
Heinzel pounded his chest confidently.
While Heinzel was all fired up, Luchi's mood remained somber and heavy.
Maybe he just really hates thieves...?
"I'll look around too. How will we signal each other if we find him?"
"I'll just yell out! Loud enough for everyone to hear!"
Yeah, that seems about right for Heinzel.
He's probably loud enough that I'd hear him from far away.
"I'll shoot this up into the sky."
Luchi pulled a small rod from his pocket.
"Is that... a light spell artifact?"
"Yes. I'll shoot it into the sky. When you see it, head toward it."
A light magic artifact... Hmm...
Oh! It's like the fireworks item from the game!
Wow, this brings back memories.
"Umm... Do you happen to have another one of those...?"
I'd love to have one as a memento...!
"I do, but it's not cheap. Do you even have any money, Noah?"
"I-I don't... I don't have a single coin..."
Oh right... I don't have any money...
And if it's expensive, there's no way I can afford it...
I hung my head in disappointment.
Then, something tapped me on the top of my head.
"Huh...?"
"Here. Don't fire it at night, don't shoot it at people, and don't let it explode in your bag."
I looked up to see Luchi handing me the firework.
"W-Wait, really?! But... I don't have any money..."
"Just take it. I've got plenty to spare."
"I-Is it really okay...?"
I glanced at Rubia. She gave a slight nod.
"Then... thank you! Hehe..."
With a firework in hand, a nostalgic smile spread across my face.
This was one of my favorite items from the game!
I used to play solo a lot, without any friends. So whenever I wanted to celebrate something—like a birthday or a rare item drop—I'd shoot a firework into the sky and watch.
It felt like the whole world was celebrating with me. It always lifted my spirits when I was feeling down.
There was even a time when I saved up ten fireworks and shot them all at once... It was so beautiful, I shed a few tears.
"Hehe, Rubia, do you want to try firing one of these later? It's super bright and goes really far! It's really loud too! If we shoot a bunch together, it's amazing! And, uh..."
As I rambled on excitedly about my memories, Luchi shook his head in disbelief.
"You lose your entire fortune, and one stick makes you happy... You're really something, kid. Thanks to you, I feel a bit better now."
"Ugh... Oh right... my money..."
My mind, which had wandered into nostalgia, was dragged back to reality.
"Fuhehe... You're so cute. Don't worry about it. We'll find it eventually, okay?"
Rubia giggled softly and patted my head.
But despite her comforting words, my mood didn't improve.
Reality still hurts too much...
"Let's get going!"
Heinzel's voice boomed.
Luchi nodded silently and headed into the nearest alley, while Rubia and I moved toward our next destination with our own plan in mind.
However, something Luchi said at the end stuck with me.
"All we need to do is get the money back, right?"
It sounded like he was saying he would kill the thief when we found him.
That unsettling thought lingered in my mind as we hurried along.
"Luchi doesn't seem to like thieves very much, does he...?"
"Who knows... There might be something else behind it. But let's try to find the thief ourselves if we can."
"Yeah...!"
I pushed down the growing sense of unease and quickened my pace.
* * * *
"Noah, have you found anything?"
"No... We've checked everyone we can."
How much time had passed?
It felt like we'd been searching for three hours.
But the person we were looking for was nowhere to be found.
There was no shout from Heinzel, no signal from Luchi's light artifact...
"It's okay... Let's keep looking. He's still in the village, I'm sure. Leaving at this hour would be dangerous, especially for someone like him. He didn't seem that strong."
Rubia was right.
For adventurers like Luchi and Heinzel, it wouldn't be a problem. But for a petty pickpocket, leaving the village at night would be suicide.
I nodded and squeezed Rubia's hand tightly.
"Noah, aren't you hungry? You haven't eaten since earlier."
"I'm not really hungry... What about you, Rubia?"
"I'm not in the mood to eat either. Sigh..."
I heard her let out a weary sigh.
Rubia, who didn't have much stamina to begin with, must've been exhausted.
We'd been running non-stop for hours...
"Thanks, Rubia... for putting you through this..."
"Oh my, you're not apologizing this time? Don't worry. This is kind of exciting in its own way."
"Well, I'm not excited at all..."
"Hehe... Don't stress too much. We'll find him somehow. Let's keep moving, okay?"
Rubia's gentle voice eased my worries, bit by bit.
"Yeah... Let's try heading south this time!"
"Sounds good. But Noah, even if we don't find him, don't be too disappointed—"
Boom!
Before Rubia could finish, a bright light shot into the sky behind us.
It was Luchi's signal!
All my anxiety vanished, replaced by a rush of excitement.
That firework... It always lifts my spirits!
"Rubia!"
"Let's go."
Rubia and I immediately ran toward the spot where the light had shot up.
Along the way, we crossed paths with Heinzel, who was laughing as he ran.
"Hahaha! Kid! You're in luck! That miserable look you had earlier is completely gone!"
Embarrassed, I ignored him and kept running.
People were staring...!
"Ugh... Y-Yeah, I guess..."
I gritted my teeth and did my best to ignore Heinzel, who wouldn't stop talking as we ran.
When we arrived at the spot where the firework had gone off, we saw Luchi standing face-to-face with someone.
I focused my senses and confirmed it: there were 27 coins in that person's pocket.
We finally found him!
"L-Luchi!"
"Wait a moment, Noah. Something's off..."
"Hmm... Yeah, something's strange."
Rubia gently pulled me to a stop.
And Heinzel quietly readied his halberd.
What's going on? What's happening?
As I stood there, confused, Heinzel cautiously approached Luchi.
"Luchi... Something's going on, isn't it?"
Heinzel's normally loud voice was now calm and serious.
"Rubia... What's happening?"
"I'm not sure either... But Luchi's expression doesn't look good at all..."
I turned my senses toward Luchi.
The hand gripping his sword was trembling, and the muscles in his jaw were clenched so tight, they looked like they might burst.
Then, I turned my attention to the man who had stolen my money.
In his pocket were 27 coins.
Around his neck, he wore a strange necklace.
On each thigh, he had eight daggers strapped.
And hidden under his sleeves were twelve throwing knives.
In his right hand, he held a horn.
A horn...?
Why does that look familiar...?
"As I thought... You're still alive. I'm glad. Really glad."
Luchi's voice was laced with barely contained fury.
The malice in his words sent a chill down my spine, wiping away any lingering thoughts.
"Are you... Luchi, the One-Eyed...? Do you know me?"
"Haha... Of course I do."
Luchi spoke quietly as he unsheathed his sword and stepped toward the man.
"W-What... What are you doing...?"
"Do you remember the village you stayed in 30 years ago?"
"30 years? How could I remember something from that long ago...? And please, put the sword away. Why are you doing this to me?"
"You really don't remember, huh. Well, it's better to know before you die."
Luchi's steps were heavy. His voice was heavy.
The weight of the sword he carried...
The weight of the life he had lived...
I could feel it all.
"Thirty years ago. Because of your greedy actions, a village was destroyed."
A deadly aura began to emanate from Luchi's body. His voice was filled with seething hatred.
"My home village... Havlon Village... Do you remember it?"