A Bribe?

Being suddenly thrust a bag of Gold Coins left me reeling, unable to process the situation.

"Um, what exactly is this?"

"Please, just accept it. Do not say another word," Margrave Noblebark replied, his head still pressed toward the floor.

It seemed as though this conversation wouldn't move an inch until I took the money.

"...Is it food-meee?"

If this looks like food to her, she needs a trip to an optometrist, I thought. Then again, nobody just hands over a fortune to a total stranger for no reason.

Normally, the basics of hospitality dictated offering fine tea or a selection of sweets to a guest. That’s what I would have done.

However, a certain phrase from my previous life bubbled up in my memory: "Golden Confectionery." These Gold Coins might have been exactly that—a bribe. But no, I didn't possess that kind of political leverage. I was a mere Lord of a Frontier Region and the son of a noble.

In that case, the most likely explanation was that these were actually sweets crafted to look like the real thing.

As evidence, Ram hadn’t stopped drooling for several minutes. They must have possessed an incredibly delicious scent. How incompetent of me; I couldn't smell a thing.

Then again, this was Ram. She was a creature who ate humans, so she would likely munch on real Gold Coins with just as much gusto. The evidence was thin at best.

Was it fake or real? What was his intent? Why was he giving this to me?

Thinking about it alone was getting me nowhere, so I leaned in to whisper to Emilina, who seemed far more accustomed to these sorts of high-society traps.

"Is this something I’m actually allowed to accept?"

"It’s difficult to say. Even I have never seen someone offer a gift so abruptly."

If even Emilina was seeing this for the first time, there was no way I could handle it "properly." I decided to simply follow my gut.

"I cannot accept this money."

"C-could it be that the amount was insufficient!?" Margrave Noblebark asked, his face turning a sickly shade of white.

His reaction confirmed it: these were genuine Gold Coins.

"It’s not that. I simply have no reason to take your money."

"T-then... do you intend to declare war immediately!?"

The last of the life seemed to drain from the Margrave’s face.

"How did the conversation even jump to that? Are you currently at war with someone?"

A Margrave was a vital position, tasked with guarding the borders against foreign powers. Usually, only the most powerful and influential nobles were granted such a title.

Leaving aside a place like the Alf Town I currently called home—a place discarded by the crown from the start—there was no reason for a hub of international trade like Noblebark to be involved in a conflict.

And yet, what was with this man?

Margrave Noblebark’s attitude was pathetically weak. He didn't strike me as the "warrior-noble" type at all.

"No... for the time being, everyone has been quite temperate. We have been allowed to live in peace."

It was then that I finally understood the Wind of the situation. He thought we were an advance force intending to invade the city.

Given that we were a Messenger from the Beast Kingdom, I suppose such suspicions were inevitable. If that was the case, his attempt to buy off the "messenger" early on made a twisted kind of sense.

Still, making the other party suspicious from the get-go seemed like a terrible move.

"We didn't come here for anything like that, you know. We were just passing through and decided to stop by to offer our greetings."

"Nom nom... No good-meee."

While I was desperately trying to talk sense into the Margrave, Ram was busy eating something beside me. Had someone served her snacks without me noticing?

"Anyway, I cannot accept these Gold Coins... Wait."

Creating unnecessary favors or giving someone leverage over me was a recipe for disaster. I had been prepared to refuse him firmly, but the bag of Gold Coins had vanished into thin air.

Margrave Noblebark looked just as bewildered as I was.

"This thick Magic Power inside is just irresistible-meee."

At that point, the truth was obvious to everyone in the room.

"R-Ram! You ate the Gold Coins, didn't you!?"

"I-I have no idea what you’re talking about-meee."

Ram’s eyes darted frantically as she tried to whistle, failing miserably. Her guilt was written all over her face.

"I see. If that’s how you want to play it..."

"So you believe I didn’t do it-meee?"

"I’m docking your meals until you’ve paid back every cent of those coins."

"Pl-please, stop-meee! These taste terrible anyway, I’ll give them back-meee!"

With a wet gag, Ram began spitting out slobber-slicked Gold Coins. I lost track of the count, but it felt like she eventually returned the majority of the pile.

"Would you mind... checking the amount?" I asked.

"Ah... yes. No, I am sure the count is correct."

Unsurprisingly, Margrave Noblebark had no desire to touch coins covered in Ram’s saliva. He left them abandoned on the table as we continued.

"So... you truly have no intention of attacking?"

"None whatsoever."

The Margrave stared intensely at me for a long moment before letting out a massive, weary sigh.

"I understand. In that case, will you at least accept this as a token of our friendship?"

He was still trying to force the money on me. Of course, I didn't want slobber-covered coins—nor did I want to accept a bribe for no reason—so I shook my head again.

"No. I will accept the sentiment of friendship, but not the gift. If I did, it would imply that our friendship is only worth as much as the money provided."

We locked eyes, both of us maintaining polite smiles. Eventually, Noblebark was the one to break.

"Very well. I shall set these Gold Coins aside for you, to be used whenever you might find yourself in need."

"I appreciate that."

"...Oh? Where is the bag that held the coins?"

Now that he mentioned it, Ram had spit out the coins, but I didn't see the cloth bag anywhere.

...No way.

I watched Ram, who was still moving her jaw as if savoring a delicious morsel, and I could do nothing but offer a bitter smile.