It had been nearly a month since I burned away the Hydra variant’s curse, pouring divine power and life force beyond what my body could bear.
Palma’s lodging numbered twenty in total, seven rooms each. Five belonged to Abby now.
Over the past month, her party had grown to twenty-three.
One building was their den. The other four were rented out cheaply, though few tenants lived there.
According to Abby, it wasn't enough money to cover food.
During this month, I made regular trips to Olympus for Alex’s treatnts and check-ups on Enzo and Marielle, but otherwise spent most days indoors, half in confinent.
So despite being the group’s No.2, I did little beyond those trips, sotis blessing the neighborhood’s water supply or tending to sick and injured kids. Most of my ti was spent in ditation—or listening to Abby, acting as her counselor of sorts.
And now, after a month, Abby had begun spending more and more ti in my room.
Sui, as always at my side, devoted as Zoë—if not more. With her around, I lacked nothing. The compensation from Olympus had lifted our standard of living. I had no complaints. I even had abundant Kyara.
“Just like you said, Di, when I stopped charging stall fees, the houses filled with more people.”
This entire district, up to the street outside, was already Abby’s turf.
At first, she tried demanding cut money from stalls and peddlers, but I stopped her.
I coughed, popped Kyara into my mouth, and said,
“I told you. As long as you play at being a thug, nothing will co of it. You’ll waste the territory you worked so hard to expand.”
Abby nodded, unusually serious.
“The streets are livelier now. Stalls and shops popping up… guess that’s why.”
With no fees, more people ca. More people ant more money circulating. Tenants returned to once-empty rooms. Rent was cheap but steady—even a small inco mattered.
“So, what should I do next?”
Her question made choke on the incense’s sharp aroma. Both Abby and Sui rubbed my back.
“Abby, you’re the boss. Everyone follows you. It’s not for to say.”
That was our usual exchange. But Abby snorted.
“Hah. You should rember—you’re No.2. My right hand. You’re not the one being used anymore. You’re the one who uses! Think with .”
She’d grown shrewd. Not as easy to handle as before.
“Take your crew and strut through the streets like you own them. Sa as always. Be ruthless to troublemakers. Be kind to rchants,” I answered, my voice reluctant.
Abby quivered.
“That’s what I always do. Just today, I beat down ten of ’em already.”
“Good. Keep it up. So of the crew must be itching for action, put ’em to use.”
“And this…”
She handed a sack.
“What’s that?”
“Every ti I walk around the streets, rchants shove this at .”
Inside, sweets, snacks, even tobacco and liquor.
“Hmph. Looks like you’re handling things well. Opportunities will co to you.”
To the shopkeepers, Abby was a good-natured, chivalrous boss. She didn’t extort, demand cuts, or threaten.
“More people an more disputes. Like it or not, trouble will co to you. And who’s the one to solve it?”
“—!”
She pounded her fist into her palm, nodding.
“We’re the ones who solve it. Which ans…”
“They’ll pay you protection money of their own accord.”
“I see… Cool!”
“Don’t stumble here, Abby. Strengthen your forces quickly. People you can trust, as strong as possible.”
“I know. I know already,” she replied, irritated.
I thought of Ashita and Zoë, strong and loyal. A waste to leave them cooking.
“Abby—”
She cut off with a sharp frown.
“I’ll never forgive that useless oaf and that deadweight!”
“…”
Her anger toward Ashita and Zoë hadn’t cooled.
“That layabout betrayed my trust twice!”
I had told her countless tis it wasn’t Ashita’s fault I collapsed after the curse cleansing. She wouldn’t hear it.
Her foxlike eyes narrowed, voice sharp.
“What makes angriest is that worthless brat!”
Zoë.
Her fury burned hotter toward Zoë than Ashita.
“Di, I’m only keeping her here because you said so! I’ll never forgive that little runt!”
“…”
Zoë’s duty had been to watch constantly, ensure my safety. Her mistake: failing to stop the curse backlash and failing to report to Abby.
When I had collapsed, Zoë refused to leave my side. She dumped the report on Ashita, whose slow wits garbled everything. By the ti Abby rushed in, fury had already ignited.
“She was too busy clinging to you to do her job!”
I could half-understand Abby’s anger, but also not at all. Zoë’s devotion was obvious. Ashita’s limits, clear. Responsibility, if we were pointing fingers, also lay with Abby for pairing them.
“…”
This needed ti to cool. I cleared my throat and shifted the topic.
“How’s the soap business?”
Abby glared, but sighed.
“Not bad. The kids make pocket money from it. Brings in a little inco too.”
The soap, made from ash and oil, hadn’t turned out as I’d hoped. It cleaned well, foad fine, but wouldn’t solidify. Perhaps my thod was incorrect, or the world’s rules of matter differed. In the end, it remained liquid.
I’d been disappointed. But Abby saw potential, bottled it, and sold it.
Three hundred sheep a jar. Dirt cheap, affordable even for the poor. Cleans skin, washes clothes. It sold to tenants and rchants alike.
“I see. That’s good.”
The kids looked cleaner. Civilization began with cleanliness. The thought made smile faintly. Abby noticed and smiled, too.
“At last… You smiled,” she muttered under her breath.
“Hm? Did you say sothing?”
“No, nothing.”
She turned away with a sly grin.
For now, I was simply her advisor. My divine power had long since recovered, but Abby and Sui forbade from using it without permission.
Then Abby slapped her knee.
“Oh, right, Di. There’s soone I want to introduce you to.”
“Hm? Who?”
That was rare indeed. For the entire month, I’d been forbidden to go out except for my trips to Olympus. Partly for my health, partly because word of the curse cleansing had spread among adventurers.
A powerful priest, not tied to any church or temple.
Abby’s “treasure” was that very priest—Dietrich Becker.
Because of that, Abby had been on edge, watchful. I went along without complaint—out of gratitude, if nothing else. But the confinent was suffocating.
Even trips to Olympus were in a carriage covered with black curtains. Inside the house, Sui shadowed constantly. She never interfered with where I went, except for the kitchen, begging in tears not to go there.
So, I couldn’t refuse her. Gentle, loyal Sui… her pleas weighed heavier on than Zoë’s ever had. After this month, with her always at my side, opposing her had beco nearly impossible.
When I sighed, Abby grinned, mouth crooked in mischief.
“What’s with the sigh, Di?”
She ant to put another watchdog on .
That’s why I sighed.
As promised, I'll update one chapter every day this week.
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