The girl looked about fifteen or sixteen. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded smoothly down to her slender waist, and her large eyes shimmered with lively innocence. Yet, she was making a brain-damaged declaration, tossing around a hundred thousand gold coins as though it meant nothing.
Snickers, both open and veiled, spread like a plague. For a moment, the plaza was filled with mirth.
If her goal was to bring everyone some entertainment and laughter, she had certainly succeeded.
“A hundred thousand gold coins… Tch, easier said than done. She’s probably never seen that much money herself.”
“If you take it seriously, you lose. Even the first-place prize for the magic competition isn’t much more than that in value. And she’s offering a hundred thousand per person, ‘the more the merrier’? If she really had that much money, why would she even bother entering this crummy competition…”
“Keep it to yourself. No need to say it out loud. The poor kid’s pitiful; she’s probably gone delusional from poverty.”
“The little sister must have been harassed so badly she had no choice but to grab everyone’s attention like this. We understand… Those people are too profit-minded, afraid you’ll hold them back. But don’t be scared, because this big brother here has decided to protect you. Haha, come on—a pleasure doing business.”
A muscular, bald man spoke, reaching out to forcibly shake hands with Weilin’s soft, delicate hand.
Weilin watched helplessly as her “advertisement” produced the complete opposite effect. She wondered if the promised reward was simply too high, making everyone dismiss her as a con artist and a fool…
“I’ll just have to borrow people from the Cloudstride Merchant Guild.”
Unable to give her money away, Weilin sighed softly, preparing to use Spatial Warp to dodge the bald man’s hand.
—But something was faster than Weilin. A streak of sword-light shot through the dense crowd’s gaps with divine speed, a sudden, startling flash…!
Shing!
Like a roaming dragon, the blade’s edge—sharp enough to cleave rock—slid past his throat with a hair’s breadth to spare. His heart lurched violently, his entire being plunged into an icy abyss in that single instant…
He knew with profound certainty: if this were a battlefield, he would have died a hundred times over.
“Can’t you see she doesn’t want anyone touching her?”
The white-haired girl stood guard before Weilin, her sword and blade returning to their sheaths simultaneously. Her voice was cold as ice. “Next time, I won’t hold back.”
The crowd, eyes seared by that shocking flash of sword-light, could only shudder and fall silent.
…A Warrior had actually crashed the magic competition?
【Airi】
【Race: Human】
【Lv. 60 Warrior / Lv. 45 Mage】
【Class: Ranger】
【Strength: 1600 / Agility: 2600 / Constitution: 350
Mana: 1280 / Spirit: 2100】
【Status: The Empire’s Level 6 Wanted Order, Wanted】
Holy shit, did I just hit the jackpot?
But what was this about being wanted by the Empire, and a Level 6 Wanted Order at that… The young girl’s face showed a flicker of astonishment.
“Are you alright?” Airi turned to ask her, only to see Weilin staring at her with a shocked expression. She frowned. “…Is there something on my face?”
“No, nothing…”
Weilin put on a new smile. “So, are you here to apply as a bodyguard?”
“No. I just couldn’t stand watching them get handsy with you, so I stepped in to teach a lesson.”
“You—you’re really not applying?”
Like a tempting whisper at her ear, Weilin held up a glittering, golden card between two slender, pale fingers, waving it before Airi’s slightly wavering eyes.
A Cloudstride Merchant Guild, continent-wide gold coin redemption card. Enchanted with the guild’s exclusive insignia, impossible for anyone in the world to counterfeit.
The card bore the engraved number ‘100,000,’ symbolizing that its holder could instantly redeem one hundred thousand gold coins at any Cloudstride Merchant Guild branch, at any time!
“…You actually have a hundred thousand?!”
Airi’s pupils contracted, but her voice remained resolute. “Keep it. Money doesn’t just blow in on the wind. If you’re just trying to save face, there’s no need. Even if you don’t pay me, I’ll still protect you until this magic competition ends.”
“No, since I’m hiring you, I have to pay your fee. That’s the only way I can feel at ease being protected.”
“That’s logical, but…”
“No buts.” With a flick of her fingers, Weilin, as if performing a magic trick, turned one Gold Coin Card into three. “Whether I have money, how much I can pay—I’m perfectly aware. The opportunity was given, but they were useless. Since no one wants to freeload these three hundred thousand, I’ll just give it all to you… No need to refuse. Your strength is worth this price.”
“…Th-three hundred thousand…” Airi’s sword-sharp, fierce aura completely crumbled. Her rigid gaze locked onto the three Gold Coin Cards, and she murmured in disbelief, “…I’ve never even dreamed of this much….”
The onlookers who had been mocking her moments before also had their eyes glued to the cards. One by one, they wore expressions of utter despair, as if they’d just lost a hundred million…
“Thirty thousand gold coins. You wouldn’t have to worry about life ever again. What are you still considering? Take it.”
The demon’s whisper pushed open the door of desire.
As Weilin stretched out her hand, Airi, in a daze, accepted the three cards under the countless gazes of those writhing in agony and regret.
“…Can I really have this?”
Weilin rolled her eyes, then gave a soft smile. “You’ve already taken it. Why even ask? From now on, you are my first, and only, bodyguard.”
“…Until the end of the magic competition?”
“Mm-hmm~.”
As the two spoke, some of the regret-stricken onlookers finally broke, begging Weilin for a chance.
“Little sister—no, Master! Please, take me too! I can’t beat that Ranger lord, but I’ll definitely be useful… I don’t need a hundred thousand. Fifty thousand is fine… no! Even for ten thousand gold coins, I’ll offer my life and loyalty to protect you, Master!”
Weilin didn’t even need to refuse. Airi had already spun around, unleashing a lightning-fast sword strike. It slashed away the clothes and pants of the interloper who dared vie for her bootlicker position, revealing embarrassingly pink underwear that made the whole scene incredibly awkward…
Having his fetish publicly executed in broad daylight, the absolute power gap left him unable to retaliate. He could only flee in utter humiliation.
“Maybe go put some pants on before offering to protect others.”
With a sneer, Airi swept the rest of the crowd with a dark, food-guarding glare. She let out a fierce, delicate shout: “I am the sole, personally authorized bodyguard! Anyone who wants a piece of this pie—fine! Beat me! I love bullying larger numbers. To save time, you can all come at me at once! Anyway, I, Ranger Airi, will protect this girl!”
After warning and threatening everyone in one breath, Airi turned around to face the stunned Weilin. Her demeanor instantly shifted… it even carried a hint of blatant ingratiation. If Airi had a tail, it would be wagging right now.
“Um… how was that?”
