Mouse dropped the pouch of blue stones on the guild commissioners desk. “We got extra, so we get paid extra, right?”
His mood hadn’t lifted since the barn, and his patience ran thin. The commissioner side-eyed them, the bag, and folded his newspaper. He set it on the counter before looking them over again.
“We took out a job to hunt a demon spotted outside the wall,” Taiga handed him their licenses, which he took and began shuffling through a book.
“I’ve got you down for one demon. Return the heart for… 1,200 daud. Correct?” He didn’t look up to confirm, but reached for the bag.
Mouse slammed his hand over the pouch before the commissioner could check it. “More than one demon. Five hearts. We’re getting paid for all of them.”
The commissioner looked from him to Taiga, “I see why you usually do the paperwork. What the fuck is wrong with your partner?”
Taiga rubbed his brow, pinching his nose between his eyes. “I’m not sure if we can sell the rest of the hearts through you, or if we should sell them elsewhere.”
“Why can’t we sell them—”
“Mouse,” Taiga interrupted, picking up their returned licenses off the counter, “we haven’t gotten our free meal yet, can you grab them?”
Mouse eyed the commissioner, before snatching the licenses from Taiga. “Let’s eat with Sweet Bun today,” he murmured before walking off.
Plastering on a smile, Taiga turned back to the commissioner, who steadily watched Mouse. “It’s been a long day. More than we bargained for.”
“Uh huh,” the commissioner took the pouch, opening it and pouring the contents onto the counter. “Five hearts. Damn, you two took them alone? Yeah, I’d be grouchy, too.”
The commissioner leaned back, scratching his belly and reaching to the left and beneath the desk. “I’d be dead, actually.” He shuffled around for a moment, before Taiga heard a loud thump, and the man returned to the desk rubbing his head.
“We have a, uh, a contract with the city hospital for demon hearts,” he placed a leaflet on the table, “they offer 700 daud per piece. You might be able to find a better deal if you shop around at private practices and whatnot. But this is a pretty solid price.”
Taiga turned the leaflet towards himself, reading the bare basics of what appeared to be a contract with the guildhall. He nodded.
“That’ll work. Do we sell them through you or…”
The commissioner nodded, turning back to his book and scribbling a new line down for four additional hearts sold. “700 for four hearts comes to 2,800. Plus the mission reward for 1,200, totalling 4,000 even.”
He shuffled around a moment after Taiga nodded, reaching beyond Taiga’s line of sight, and calling “do you want all in thousands?”
“Two, the rest in silvers, if possible.” Taiga called over the counter, waiting to see the commissioner nod from somewhere in his office.
When he returned, he slid two gold coins to him, and Taiga picked them up, checking the hexagonal hole in the center of them. When the commissioner finished counting, he slid eighteen tin coins with a gold lined circular hole in the center, followed by twenty slightly smaller tin coins marked with square holes in them.
“... and 4,000. Looks good,” Taiga finished counting, sliding the coins into his otherwise near empty pouch. He’d only had a few copper coins left on him, and the added weight made him smile.
“Sign for me,” the commissioner turned his masterbook toward him, and a pen. Taiga took it, checking the lines for compensation, and signing once he verified its accuracy.
“Thanks,” Taiga bowed slightly, and after making sure the commissioner needed nothing more from him, turned away.
“Done?” Mouse asked, holding two bowls and standing a short distance away. “Let’s eat now?”
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
By his smile and rocking on his heels, Taiga made a guess. “The cook gave you some extra fruit again?”
Mouse nodded, showing his teeth as his grin widened, “raspberries.”
Taiga took a bowl as Mouse held it out for him, and led the way out of the great hall and towards the stables. He rounded the archway into the stables, spinning around a hunched down stablehand. When the boy, maybe twelve or so, saw them, he leapt up.
“Ah, are you taking her out for the day?” He asked, running up to them.
“No, we’re here just to share a snack with her.” Taiga smiled at him while Mouse pushed past and hurried to the stalls.
The stablehand’s shoulder stooped with his expression. “Is that so…” He rocked onto his heels, glancing over Taiga.
Considering the boy didn’t move out of the way, and his cautious glances, Taiga figured he had something more to say. “Did something happen?”
“Ah, if you’re asking,” he started, though he hadn’t moved from the spot until Taiga did, “your girl broke from her stall yesterday. She tore the gate off its hinges and damaged the beams a bit while doing so.”
Taiga forced the smile to remain on his face. “She did what?” How much would that cost?
“I assume you haven’t had her long? She doesn’t like being stalled, it seems. She got aggressive when we tried reining her back into another stall. Which, ehm, she also damaged a bit.”
Taiga put a finger to his brow, massaging it. He closed his eyes a moment. THey’d need to go demon hunting for more hearts, it seemed.“We’ll pay for the damages, of course.”
“Well, that’s not all,” the stablehand trailed off, sneaking a glance at him.
Dear stars above. She would put them in debt, it seemed.
“Speak freely,” he mustered calm, if only for the stablehand.
“We found her in the storeroom. She’d already eaten through a crate of worms and ripped into the sacks of grain for the horses. The manager said it cost them about a week of feed.”
The smile slipped.
“And,” the boy paused.
How much more could there be?
“She also found the roast duck the manager planned to use for his wife’s birthday. He was quite angry.”
They were doomed.
“I will cover everything. Once the costs and damages are calculated, please send a bill through the mercenary hall, where we’re staying. And,” Taiga paused, glancing at Mouse who busied himself trying to open the stall door, “I will also give a formal apology to the manager.”
The stablehand perked up at the last bit, a smile of relief spreading over him, “oh, he will be very happy to hear of this. I’ll let him know. He was planning to file a complaint to the guild hall if nothing was done.”
Maybe they should flee during the night.
Taiga returned a plastered smile to his face. “Of course, we’d never leave anything we owe unpaid.”
They would be as poor as they were only an hour ago. He’d wanted a farm linlao. A peaceful linlao. One with a mellow temperament and mild personality. Common markings and poor breeding. Accustomed to stalling and basic feed.
But no. Mouse had to have the one that caught his eye. He had to break into the mansion and steal a linlao of worth. A glutton who would clearly eat them out of every daud they made. One with enough markings that required forged registration.
The stablehand bowed as Taiga did, and scampered off to his duties. Turning back towards the stalls, Mouse giggled as Sweet Bun allowed a single pat from him, while he distracted her with a handful of grain he likely stole.
He sighed.
Taiga walked over to Mouse and Sweet Bun, remembering the rice and gingered meat in his hand. At least the food was free.
“She’s going to cost us, just in food and damages.” Taiga sighed, slumping down against the stall door with his bowl.
“Ya know, you sigh a lot lately,” Mouse plopped down beside him, grinning at Sweet Bun.
“I wonder why.” He side-eyed Mouse.
“I do wonder, which is why I mention it.” Mouse picked up his spoon, pushing meat to the side of his bowl and scooping rice into it.
“Where are the berries?” Taiga noted the unglazed meat and sauced rice, but no red raspberries like before.
“I ate them already,” he shrugged. So the berries were indeed the reason his mood shifted so quickly. “Did you get money for the hearts?”
“Yeah, for a good enough price.” Taiga scooped rice and a piece of meat, he thought it was lamb today, in his mouth. “We’re okay on money for a while.” Until he got the bill, anyways. They’d have to take another mission before it came through.
“So,” Mouse paused, “we can go shopping?”
Taiga laughed, “for what?”
“Is that a yes?”
“We can, but I’m curious what you need.”
Mouse shrugged, “nothing in particular. I just want to see the marketplace more.”
Taiga watched him take a biscuit from his bag and reach it over their heads for Sweet Bun. She looked it over before accepting it from him. Mouse smiled, watching her chew.
“We can see if there’s any linlao supplies we can find. Like a saddle or tack. Maybe a feedbag.” Taiga picked a slice of lamb up and dropped it on his tongue.
Mouse’s eyes lit up at the suggestion, “yesssssss,” and he scooped more rice into his mouth, urging Taiga to hurry.