My name was Goldie.
I prided myself on being a fairly well-known figure in Shashato City’s underbelly. That wasn't to say I ran the whole underworld; I was more like a subcontractor of a subcontractor. Still, even at my level, I oversaw a crew of over fifty men—a decent-sized outfit. If I included the unofficial members, I could mobilize two hundred... no, maybe even three hundred. Because of that, I’d been starting to think it might be time to set my sights a little higher.
It was then that I received a report.
The word was that a large number of the girls from the Back Alley Group, who were under my protection, had been hired en masse.
I didn't know what to make of it. I was happy they were getting work, but finding them jobs was supposed to be my responsibility. I had to vet these things properly, otherwise, there was no telling how they’d be treated. In Shashato City, no one broke those kinds of rules. The only people who did were outsiders who didn't know any better.
So, it was that group I’d been warned about. I’d been told not to lay a hand on them, but I had my own reputation to consider. I had to make sure proper etiquette was observed. I wanted to storm their place right away, but they were staying at an expensive inn and their escorts were supposed to be top-notch. I likely wouldn't even be able to get through the door.
In that case, I’d have to catch them while they were out wandering the city. I sent a few of my subordinates to keep watch.
They returned almost immediately. They claimed they’d been threatened by someone terrifying.
I stared at them. Even a kind boss like me has his limits. "Who’s scarier?" I asked. "Me, or the person who threatened you?"
"Them," they answered without a second of hesitation.
I was genuinely hurt. To be told they were scary on a completely different level... I realized there was no point in arguing.
"Fine. You can all take the rest of the day off," I said. "I'm not mad. I’m sorry for asking you to do such a weird job."
I decided it was best to just forget the whole thing.
The next day, one of them came to visit me.
I was caught completely off guard. I tried to scramble and gather my men, only to remember that almost every one of them had been taken away for an emergency labor draft that morning. Apparently, there was a construction site that needed to be finished in a massive hurry. It wasn't just my crew; men were being pulled from all over the neighborhood.
The only ones left were five girls about ten years old. I appreciated that they were trying to protect me, but I had to tell them to stop. It was just sad. Besides, even if they didn't stand up for me, I usually had a reliable guard dog on hand.
"Wait, where’s the dog?" I asked.
"Out for a walk," they replied.
I had no choice. I considered pretending no one was home, but since I’d already answered the door, that ship had sailed.
I sighed. The reason I hadn't participated in the labor draft myself was because I’d spent the entire night worrying about whether the girls hired by this man were being mistreated. I’d told myself to forget about it, but I couldn't. I’d eventually tracked them down and confirmed they were fine before heading home for a nap.
I was wide awake now.
Alright, I needed to think. Why was he here? Had he found out I was snooping yesterday? Was this retaliation? No, if it was a hit, he wouldn't have come so openly. I couldn't make heads or tails of it. If I didn't know his angle, I’d just have to intimidate him. If he understood how dangerous I was, he wouldn't try anything funny.
I checked my reflection in a polished iron plate. I looked sufficiently terrifying.
"Welcome," I said, pitching my voice as low as possible.
He looked like an ordinary human. He had to be shaking in his boots.
Except he wasn't. He just returned my greeting with a perfectly normal one of his own. Why wasn't he scared?
As it turned out, he’d come to formally introduce himself because he’d hired the girls from the back alleys. Well, that was remarkably polite of him. I told him I’d like to confirm the employment conditions, but first, I had to ask: how did my face look? Was it scary? I told him I wouldn't be happy even if he tried to flatter me by saying I looked charming.
Still, he showed no fear. Was it possible this man was actually incredibly strong?
I needed to check. If he were a registered adventurer, I could judge him by his rank, but I’d already confirmed he wasn't. That meant I had to use my own special method for determining a person's strength. By asking specific questions and gauging the response, I could tell exactly how dangerous someone was. This method had saved my skin countless times, and I had absolute confidence in it.
"By the way," I began, "are you aware that a martial arts tournament is currently being held in Shashato City?"
"Is that so?" he replied.
He didn't know about it. That meant he wasn't a glory-seeker. But I couldn't jump to conclusions yet; he was new to the city.
"If you've fought monsters outside the city, you might want to consider entering," I suggested.
"Ah... monsters are a bit much for me. I’m still being told not to fight alone."
Still being told not to fight alone? So he was an amateur? My confidence grew. The probability of him being a mere civilian shot up. There was no reason to fear his martial prowess.
"I see. That’s a shame."
"Hahaha. Well, the reason I came to this city is for business, after all."
It was settled. He was a civilian. Now I just had to worry about whoever told him not to fight. If he had a powerful escort, that would be a problem.
"What about the person who told you not to fight? If they’re confident in their skills, why not recommend the tournament to them? I actually work to recruit participants like that."
It was a perfect lead-in.
"No, they’re back at the village. I’ll mention it to them if they ever come to the city."
"I see. That’s a pity."
Yes, everything was fine. Wait, no it wasn't. I’d been told not to touch any of the Goroun Company’s guests, which included him. I didn't know why, and I had no intention of doing it anyway, but I’d been worried. Still, he’d approached me, so there shouldn't be any trouble.
Wait a minute. Who was the scary person who threatened my men yesterday? Was it the other woman I’d heard about?
"A martial arts tournament, huh?" the man mused. "If it’s Daga-san or Galf-san, they’d probably love to join."
I froze. "Galf?"
"Hmm? You know Galf-san?"
"Is he a Beastman? A dog-kin?"
"Ah, now that you mention it, Galf-san did say he’d been to Shashato City before. He might have entered the tournament back then."
Galf. As in the Galf? The one who’d crushed every arrogant thug in the city and won the tournament with nothing but a wooden sword? The Living God of War? Are you kidding me? Rumor had it he was the mysterious Fifth Heavenly King of the Demon Kingdom. And this man was an acquaintance?
"Do you... spar with Galf?" I stammered.
"Me? No way. He just lets me join in for practice. I get beaten to a pulp, though."
There were mountains of people, nobles included, who would kill for a chance to learn the sword from Galf. And if "not fighting alone" was based on Galf’s personal standards, I couldn't let my guard down for a second.
Work, damn you, instincts! This man was dangerous! I could never make an enemy of him! I had to maintain a smile until he left and then make sure our paths never crossed again. I told him I’d leave the girls in his care and saw him out.
Just then, my guard dog—a magic dog—returned from its walk.
This was bad. The beast would bark at any stranger, and it wasn't above biting. Since a young girl was holding the leash, he might be caught off guard if it lunged...
My worry was misplaced. The magic dog, which never showed its belly to anyone, immediately rolled over and submitted. It was sucking up to him with a look of pure adoration I’d never seen it give me.
"What a cute dog," the man said. "I got along well with the dogs back home, too... Ah, wait, they were wolves."
I decided not to think about whether those wolves were scarier than my magic dog.
The man’s name was Marcos. He had officially claimed the number one spot on my personal danger rankings. I vowed to never get involved with him again.
And then I met him again ten days later.
He’d hired more girls from the back alleys without consulting me. Again. But I told him I didn't mind, so long as he kept coming by to say hello. The terms were the same as before. I ended up asking him if he only needed girls, or if he could use some boys, too. My crew had just finished working on a large site and were looking for work.
As it turned out, that massive building was Marcos’s shop.
"If you ever need anything, just let me know," I said. It was just lip service. I’d said it was lip service, so why did he keep coming back?
He wanted more people? Fine. I’d give him the boys this time. When he told me how many he needed, I realized my entire Back Alley Group was going to end up working for him.
"Thank you very much," I said. "Please, let me do whatever I can to help."
That wasn't lip service anymore.
Eventually, I was called in. I’d said I’d do what I could, but the man had no sense of restraint. Still, I wasn't about to say no, so I went to his shop. It was the talk of the town—a massive establishment serving a dish called "curry" that everyone was obsessed with. The place was packed.
I saw the kids from the back alleys weaving through the crowds, working hard in their clean, matching uniforms. They looked like they were doing well for themselves.
My job was to manage the chaos—organizing the lines and breaking up any fights. I was supposed to be a famous figure in Shashato City’s underworld, but here I was, playing bouncer. Well, a job was a job.
I tied my magic dog up outside. Since the kids who usually looked after it had also been hired by Marcos, I couldn't just leave it at the hideout.
Besides, I’d been promised a taste of that curry later. It smelled far too good to pass up.