Chương 8: She Returns to the Scene
Robin turned to the stall owner. "This is more than I can accept alone." She said. "Won't you split it with me?"
The stall owner looked at her and laughed. "Me? But I've done nothing to help you earn that. You were the one that gave the speech after all. After such a rousing speech about how money buys freedom, do you want to put me in your debt?" He teased.
Robin hesitated, but finally placed the coin in her magic bag. In any case, the extra coin was an unexpected windfall. 'I'll just treat it like a normal tip that a waitress would get for entertaining their guests well.' She decided.
Since the stall had run out of skewers, the stall owner decided to close up for the day. Robin quickly calculated the total amount of money and reported it. "57 coppers 32 large coppers...and one silver. Altogether that's 1,005 Zetu" She said, presenting the money box to the stall owner.
"Right." He reached into the box and took out the silver. "Here, you take it. It's your pay."
Robin looked at the coin, and then looked up at the stall owner, confused. "Um, but I was already payed?"
"You can't call a single set of skewers proper pay! Besides, because of you, my profits tripled today. I can at least afford to give my workers a proper salary."
"But this is practically half of your proceeds! I can't accept!" Robin shook her head. "At least make it one third!" The stall owner was eventually talked down to giving her 300 Zetu instead. Even then, Robin was reluctant to accept it, until the stall owner huffed.
"Just look at you! I've seen people who raised their wages by self-praising their skills, but I've never seens someone who argued with their boss to lower their wage! If you don't accept this much, then my own heart will not be at peace. As an honest stallsman, I have to give out a living wage, after all."
Heading back to the Magpie Inn, Robin thought over what had happened that day. The people here were very kind-hearted. Then she made a face as she remembered that merchant. He really needed to learn a lesson on how to save and spend money! Wasting it because they liked what some kid selling meat skewers said to them in passing!
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As she was eating dinner in the common room, she happened to overhear the discussion going on at the next table. It was hard not to hear, because they were the loudest table in the inn.
"You mean it? Whoever pulls that sword out of the stone will be given a gold coin!?" A red-bearded man exclaimed.
"Yeah! And they get to keep the sword too! Just think of all the meals and ale you could get with that, eh!" His walrus-moustached companion replied. At this point, one of the regulars cut into their conversation.
"It's no use. People have been trying to pull that sword out for years, an it hasn't even budged a speck. Instead of disappointin' yerselves so early, why not go out and do a bit of real work!" The regular then downed his entire mug of beer in one shot.
"Meeh! You're just sour because you can't do it either!" Red Walrus Moustache jeered.
"Oy, Green-y! What would you do with a gold coin?"
"I dunno. Maybe buy myself a mansion and have high tea every day. I hear that's what the nobles do in the capital."
"You mean, the noblewomen, ey!?" The entire room burst into laughter as the men began to drink themselves silly.
'Sword? Stone? Are they talking about THAT sword in the stone?' Robin thought to herself, as she listened. Thinking back to her weeding job, that sword...why did they make it seem so hard? Hadn't she easily pulled it out in one swing?
She did admit that the gold coin reward was exremely tempting. In a world where she had no background or power to speak of, having a fair amount of capital would be a tremendous help. Moreover, it was a contest open to all, so no one could say that it wasn't a fair one.
'Maybe...I'll go and check this evening, before I hit the sack.' She made up her mind, and hungrily tore into her dinner.
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The glow of the evening twilight after sundown still gave a fair bit of light to the surroundings. That, coupled with the rising of the full moon, further illuminated the ground around her.
Re-tracing her steps, she managed to find her way back to the courtyard. Peeking around from the entranceway, she didn't see anyone around. The raised Pavillion was also empty of people. She glanced around behind her as well. The street itself was empty.
Feeling somewhat timid, she quietly ran over to the sword in the stone. It hadn't been moved since the last time she had been there. After examining it by eye, there didn't seem to be anything about it that could hold it in place. She slowly grasped the hilt, and pulled it out in one quick motion, the moonlight flashing from the blade.
Examining the blade, there didn't seem to be any sort of gimmicks either. Robin's glance slid down the blade. To tell the truth, she really wanted it. As a blade that was light, well-balanced, and well-sharpened, she would need a blade such as this, if she was going to be taking on more requests.
Her mind went back to the rumor that she heard at the inn. If it was true....
Her train of thought was interrupted as someone spoke from the nearby treetop.
"See, I told you he'd come back. He even managed to pull it out again."
"Shut up! I don't want to have to chase him if he runs away again!"
Robin swiftly whirled around to see two men jump down from the nearby tree.
"Who are you?" She asked, placing the blade in between her and the men. They both raised their arms non-threateningly.
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