Chapter 516

After waiting for a while, their argument seemed to be over. Then Dianne spoke to her with the same haughty look as ever.

「Oi, Adventurer」

「What?」

「I'll allow you to accompany us for now」

Uwaah, who does this guy think she is? I could tell that Fran was getting annoyed with her.

「How much will you pay?」

「Are you trying to extort money from me!」

No, what are you talking about? How could you hire an adventurer as an escort free of charge? However, Dianne cursed Fran even more

「This why adventurers are...」

「Isn't it common sense that we need to pay to hire an adventurer as an escort?」

「Lady Khanna, I'm telling you that I will protect you by myself! It would be an honor for me!」

「Knights really are hungry for honor huh? That's great, but adventurers don't work for free」

「I'm sorry, we're a little lacking in the common sense of adventurers. So how much would you like for us to pay you?」

「Young lady!」

Dianne shouted when she saw Khanna bowing her head. However, Khanna replied with a sharp glare at her knight.

「Silence, Dianne」

「Wha...! Why!」

「Do not impose your value on others. The value of a knight is different from an adventurer after all. Because even among the knights and nobles, their value is different...」

「...That is...」

「Hey. If you're just gonna talk forever, can I go now?」

Aah, Fran was getting bored with them. But before Dianne could say anything to Fran's words, Khanna bowed her head again.

「I'm sorry. So, how much would you like for us to pay you?」

「Hmm...」

「Hmph. I'm sure she's gonna ask for a lot of money from us anyway. But it's fine, here」

Dianne said so and threw a leather bag at Fran's feet. Doesn't this guy have any learning ability? Khanna is staring at her with displeasure, isn't she? When Fran picked up the leather bag and opened it, she found about 2,000 Goldes in it.

「It's just for one night, isn't it quite an exceptional deal?」

What are you saying! The most you can hire with this money is an E-ranked or lower adventurer.

Fran is a B-ranked adventurer you know? There's no way she could be hired for only that much money even if it's only for one night. See! Fran is looking really annoyed now.

It's not so much for her haughty attitude when giving the money, huh? I know that she was making fun of her job as an adventurer, but this must have definitely put Fran in a bad mood.

In other words, she has been told that she's only worth that much.

「Those who exchange the glorious work of protecting the weak and hunting magic beasts for menial and vile money will risk their lives as long as they are paid, won't they?」

Could it be that she is deliberately trying to make Fran angry so that the negotiations will break down? Or does she hate adventurers that much? But there was no way that Fran would consider such a situation and take a wait-and-see approach.

Fran threw the leather bag back at Dianne's feet a little harder and opened her mouth.

「Not enough」

「Nonsense! It's only for one night, you know? How much would you like to extort us for just a one-night job!」

「I'm a B-ranked adventurer. There's no way I can be hired with only this much. The request fee is proof of evaluation to the adventurer. If I'm only worth that much, then the negotiation has failed」

「...Hmph. That's just like what an adventurer who sells themselves for money would say. Then how much do you want me to pay」

「If you want to hire me. Then give me all your money」

「What nonsense! Don't be ridiculous! Then how do you think we'll sustain our journey in the future huh!?」

「I'm not joking. Either you don't hire me or you'll give me all your money. That's your choice. You like that, don't you?」

「Huh?」

「Money is menial and vile, isn't it? I'll take care of all of it for you then. Or is the money that's so menial and vile really that important to you? Did you tell a lie even though you were a knight? Aah, or were you just a liar?」

Aah, she's angry huh? She has said a lot of words after all.

Maybe she's going to say everything she wants to say and piss them off with it. Now it seems, it was Fran who was planning to break the negotiations.

「Guh... That Incomprehensible reason is...」

「I don't even know you, but don't make fun of adventurers」

「Hiii...」

Dianne, who had been hit by Fran's intimidation, paled and fell on her butt on the spot with tears build up in the corners of her eyes.

No matter how much she despises us, the fact remains that we are overwhelmingly powerful. And right now, they were turning on each other. I guess she has realized that.

Shortly after, Khanna intervened between Fran and her.

「That's enough. Dianne, it's your fault. Even I feel uncomfortable listening to your words. Don't talk anymore」

「Y-yes...」

Ooh. She made it look like she was angry with her escort, but in fact, she has protected her from Fran. Moreover, there was no change in her expression even though she knew that we could strike her with intimidation.

「...Fuh」

「I'm really sorry. I'll give Dianne a scolding later and I won't let her say unpleasant words to you again. So, can you please calm your anger?」

「...」

Fran releases her intimidation and turns to face Khanna. Sure enough, this girl is special, isn't she? While others, such as Shella, who had watched Dianne being put through her paces, looked as if she were about to have a stroke, but there was not even a hint of fear on Khanna's face. There was no lie in her apology either.

「So, what would you do? Do you want to give me all your money? Or not?」

「About that...Can you give me more time to pay for it?」

「Nn?」

「To be honest, we really need to get to the town of Shenarl with the money we have」

(Shenarl?)

〈It's a town located in the western part of Belios Kingdom. It also located near the Academy of Magic we're heading to〉

(Ooh, I see)

「If I give you all the money I currently have. We'll be troubled with our future journey...」

Interesting. Even though she was looking at Fran, who was so intimidating, she was still trying to negotiate with her. Moreover, she was looking up at her with an upturned eye.

I didn't miss the thin smile on Fran's face. Perhaps, seeing Dianne's disgusting behavior had cleared her mind and left her with interest in Khanna. She seemed to be amused by her fearlessness in negotiating the price.

「I understand that you're strong and I'm sure you'll need a lot of money, but that's all we can afford. Can you accompany us to the next border checkpoint with this?」

The leather bag she held out to her was filled with gold coins over 30,000 Goldes in it. The interesting thing was that it was surprisingly appropriate.

This is about what a B-ranked adventurer would get for a one-night escort on a place where the magic beast's level is low. No, if these girls already have some fighting power and are prepared for the camp, this was rather too much.

I don't think she understands this... However, I was sure that this was the reason why Fran liked her so much.

「Okay. And in return, that guy is...」

「Of course, I won't let her say bad things to you anymore」

「Nn. Then I'll accept the request」

「Thank you very much!」