Tricks

Then what?

Th-Then, I'd give you this box of chocolates as a thank-you...

Chocolates, huh.

The patisserie back home gave me these when I set out. Said I'd have something to chew on whenever my mouth was empty. And now, this is the last box...

I, um... I'm really, really reluctant to give this away. So, since you don't want to, forget it...

Mm.

(*whispers*) Did he just respond with a grunt? That's different—

If you don't want to help, then, um, no chocolate for you. Err, that came out wrong...

Um...

Okay, I confess, it was Helena who suggested I bring you chocolates. She said that you have a soft spot for them.

So she told you to come, and here you are?

Leone's situation is looking really bad... I have to try everything I can, no matter what it takes.

Sorry to keep pestering you. I'll head back for now, and think of some other way myself...

Just leave the chocolates on the cabinet.

Huh?

Gimme a moment to pack up and wash my face. Then we're leaving.

...He's agreeing to it? Even though I totally blew my secret?

Does he care about his image with Helena that much...? Or is it the chocolates? Well, whatever, all that matters is that he agreed.

The cabinet, the cabinet... Oh, is it this one?

...The drawer's open?

Is this... a photo of Woodrow and the boss? There's another Sankta, too... and a piece of paper under the photo...

Camp... Collus...

You done putting away the chocolates?

Oh, uh, y-yes! By the way, I...

Then let's get going.

Leone, your financial situation is in dire straits. If you drag your feet any longer, then...

When the bank declares you unable to repay your debts, you'll be forced to declare bankruptcy. And by that point, you won't be able to save your shares or your house.

If you insist on holding onto your shares, you'll be forced to sell off your house, and won't even have a roof over your head.

Plenty of people have tried to talk me into selling my shares, but you're the first to make a good case for selling my house.

No, I'm not telling you to sell your house. I'm just reminding you of the consequences.

If you don't mind, I can also, umm... What I mean is, I have some money I can give you to help pay off your loans. Even though it's no small amount...

What?! Thanks, but no thanks. I don't need your charity.

N-N-No! I mean, I'll lend it to you!

B-But, I won't charge any interest. You can just pay it back at your leisure, whenever your financial situation has improved...

......

Look, Jessica. I'm a grown ass man with both my hands and feet. I don't need a little girl half my age lecturing me on how to improve my life.

I hope you never bring this up to me again.

Wait... Leone, p-please, don't push me!

*sigh*...

What, you're out here sipping tea, Woodrow? It's already gone cold. Just take the girl with you when you go.

Aren't you going to say something, Woodrow? You agreed to this...

Did I?

Huh...?

All I said was that I'd come with you. So I did.

Thanks for the chocolate, Jessica. Now, if you'll excuse me.

You can't do this!

At this rate, Leone's going to be left with nothing to his name!

So what? Try as you like, when you burn a wet piece of coal all you get is a faceful of ashes.

How could you?! You...!

Captain, are we seriously going to go through the entire list?

How many doors have we knocked on so far?

Fourteen. Other than the second household, where the middle-aged man's son did in fact run off to join the bandits, the rest were all honest people guilty of nothing more than being unable to pay off their debts.

The bank couldn't dig up any dirt on them, so they've resorted to using us to run them out of town... Despicable.

...And this is number fifteen. We'll check just one more, and then—

Wait, what's going on? Why are you sitting outside?

My head... it's spinning...

Hmph. Go sit outside in the cold, you crusty old fossil. The headache will go away on its own.

Could he have been poisoned?

Lucky we found out in time, and we're both just fine.

Ma'am, I thought the plate... it should have retained its basic heating functions. So why...?

After the bank declared us bankrupt, they shut off all the heating to our house. Without sunlight, it gets even colder inside.

...Why else would anyone light their fireplace?

*cough* *cough*... *cough* *cough*!

I'm back, Benny. What're you squatting in front of the stove for? Get up already.

The charcoal today is especially waterlogged. I've been trying to light it for a while now, but I can't get it burning at all.

Just look at all the soot on your face. You'd think you just crawled out of the mines... Hurry and wipe it off. It ain't a big deal if you can't get it burning. Just wait until I get back.

Dad, don't tell me you were in such a hurry this morning that you poured water directly into the stove...?

Hey, I may be stupid, but I'm not that stupid. Hand me the tongs. I'll do it.

*cough*, *cough* *cough*!

You think I can't tell when you're lost in the sauce? Why are you blowing on it directly? Carl told me you can't light the stove, which is why he entrusted it to me before he left. Since when have you done it?

What else did Carl tell you?

Everything. About how you were so impatient you poured an entire pail of water into the stove to douse the flames. Not only did the coal get ruined, but the bread Helena baked became inedible. She was so mad she chewed your ear off.

When did he tell you all that?!

Who do you think left me all alone back then?

Hmph. Left you on all alone? What're you talking about? How would you even remember anything from when you were so little? All you did was sit in Woodrow's arms and tug on his beard.

...I don't believe you.

*cough*, *cough*! Who is it?

Sorry, it's me— *cough*, urgh, all this smoke...

The stove's completely soaked on the inside. I've been trying to ignite the charcoal for a while now, but haven't had much luck. Give me a moment.

No problem. I can help out too.

These pieces of charcoal are completely waterlogged. Can you swap them out?

This is all the charcoal we got from the caravan.

Then, um... how about some firewood?

We can put the broken pieces underneath to isolate the moisture, then lean any thin branches against the stove to light them on fire. Then you just need to add more firewood as necessary.

Where'd you learn all that... On the battlefield?

...Why do you ask?

Aren't you a mercenary?

Umm...

It's done...

Thanks for helping Benny light the stove, but... you should leave now.

But I haven't even said anything yet... I just don't understand. Why are you so stubborn about it?

Of course you wouldn't.

Then... help me understand? I'll never give up if you just keep sending me away.

Jessica... I was abandoned here by my birth mother when I was just four years old. It was the miners here who raised me.

When I enlisted in the army, I focused on learning blasting techniques so that I'd be able to help out in the mines. As soon as I was discharged, I came back and became an mining engineer.

I was involved in the renovation and expansion of the mining tunnels below town, the factory above us, and even the power plant we repaired a few days ago.

The miners back then... must've lived much better lives than they do now.

If you told me back then what Davistown would become, I'd have figured you were cursing me out.

True... Life can be unpredictable like that.

Later, I adopted my coworker's kids. Benny... and his brother, Carl.

And even later... the mine kept depreciating until all I could do was keep holding onto my shares no matter what. Like hell I'd let those damn stakeholders take my life's work and dump it for scraps.

But there's no way the mine is ever coming back—

Just stop talking.

I'm serious here! If you keep holding onto your shares, the bank is going to force you to pay off your debts!

...Get out of my house.

Please, Leone. Even if you kick me out, you're going to have to come face-to-face with reality.

Alright, Benny, step out for a bit. You can stay at Auntie Helena's for a night. I'll come find you after Jessica and I finish talking.

—Wait, you can't send Benny away!

Now you're trying to lecture me on how to be a parent?!

Yesterday...

Just stop it already, Jessica! Not another word!

Yesterday... Some gangsters hired by the bank went after your son.

Is that true, Benny?

...Yes.

Why... Why didn't you tell me anything...?

Even if I did... what good would it do? Would you march up to the bank and make a scene? What would that even solve...?

......

If I sell my shares in the mine, what'll I have left?

At they very least... You won't leave Benny saddled with debt, and they won't take your house.

First, it was Carl. After Carl left, it was Benny... Ever since I took on so much debt, I've been out working from sunup to sundown, leaving the kids at home to fend for themselves...

They were in charge of keeping the stove lit, and they had to handle the finances. And Benny... was nearly kidnapped...

In the end, I couldn't pay off my debts, or protect the people I wanted to protect...

I'm a right bastard, through and through.

I'd rather die than bow down to those savages at the bank... Just the thought that they'd have the gall to kidnap Benny makes me wanna blow the whole damn place to bits...

Leone...

You said earlier that after I sell my remaining shares, I'll at least be able to leave the house for Benny?

Mhm...

But you sure did a number on my stove, just to win me over. *cough* *cough*... You weren't kidding when you said you'd do anything.

No... I didn't pour the water in there. I wouldn't go that far.

Wait, if it wasn't you, then who?

Woodrow? What're you doing here?

Consider it an apology.

Relax, Leone. The toes of your shoes are about to tear the carpet.

Relax? That word has no place here.

I've prepared all the promissory documents and transfer contracts, so the bank should have nothing to say. Of course... Benny helped out a lot as well. The process shouldn't take very long, and it'll all go smoothly.

Would you like me to get you some water?

Nah, I'm good. The fact that I can even stand here means I'm already mentally prepared to let it all go.

I'm really sorry about this...

Just leave me alone for a second.

Now that I can single-handedly release them from those blood-sucking shareholders with the swipe of a pen, I need a moment to myself, so I can say goodbye.

Jessica...

Sylvia?

Y-Yes, so here's the deal. I took a sneak peek at the documents you prepared... Mr. Theremin's loan repayment is not within the scope of my job, but...

There are a number of issues with your reference data... The shares are overvalued, and there are some holes that don't add up in the end.

You're still short by a considerable amount... I'd appreciate it if you could call him over for me, since there's no way I can face him...

......

No, we're not going to put that on him right now. I'll make a check out to the bank, so can you keep it a secret for me? Please?

This much... in one lump sum?!

It's not that big of a deal. Desperate times.

But, if Mr. Theremin found out... You know how prideful can be...

...Which is why this is just between us. Nobody else needs to know. Please, Sylvia.

O-Okay then...

Then, can I take another look at your documents?

I only have copies with me.

That's good enough... Umm... There are still areas that could use some adjustment...

And then, there's the tax returns...

Look, these are all items that could've been written off... Thirty bucks here, seventy-five there... There's also a rather large deduction here, a full four hundred.

Adding everything up, it comes out to one thousand three hundred and twenty-nine, though that's barely a fraction of the amount you have to make up for...

You discovered all that just by casually thumbing through the documents?

Umm... this looks good enough. Th-Then, I'll directly report this, and say that y-you filed a brand new application...

Finally, that should take care of the weight around Leone's neck... But he's far from the only one.

...I need to pick up the pace before Fort Barron arrives.

Every person I help has to count for something... right?

Manager, we can close Leone Theremin's case. He finally decided to sell his shares.

That obstinate bastard set us back for years.

He was also extremely rude when selling them, scolding us with some rather colorful language, and calling us kidnappers and so forth.

But what can he do other than run his mouth?

Well then, how about we pay him a direct visit next time?

No need to rush. I heard someone advanced the money for him, and now he is indeed debt-free.

But once his shares are sold, there are plenty others circling the mine, waiting for us to swoop in.