As if the deity would have such a reason to add insult to injury! He damn well knows I'm not just gonna ... go overboard, I mean if there even is any romance, I'd-

But then just now, I sense vaguely someone else coming into my range. So I peek at the minimap ― maybe the first or second thing I'm most glad having ― and surprise, a band of maybe twenty persons are on the way, hurrying here from the south. Also close behind are up to fourteen more people ― are they pursuing the former twenty? It's usually a case of someone breaking a law ― cops vs robbers, rebels vs military, or even a classic cattle rustlers vs deputized posse vs hired guns. Whatever. I'm not involve ... yet it worries me, they are coming here.

I don't know who they are yet; so if they are coming from the south ... maybe from Suuderlant nation? In either case ... I'm not leaving. They can stay if they play nice, or go if they don't wanna play well with others. They are not riding the same hippo type creature but something more akin to the traditional donkey I know from Earth. Well at least the ones in front being chased are; the ones behind ... might be riding something much stronger.

Two opposing groups, one chasing the other?

For the troops in front to ride in from the half kilometer radius of my map to here, takes not as long as one would think, and also longer than one would want when watching it happen. But finally, the mostly female fleeing group comes to a halt at my house in sudden surprise.

"... this wasn't here before!" shouts the leading woman, the apparent boss of the group.

What, did they not see my bathhouse and home sticking up above the grasses, until they got this close?

She's quite the beauty, a late teen from the perspective of Earth but here seems more mature, as if life here is so hard compared to my past life experience. She's humanoid but with traces of an actual wolfish race in her ancestry. Probably a couple centimeters taller than me and definitely more muscled than I am ... but also she's got some traces of scars to prove it. Well if the ones from behind are her enemies ... does this make either one of them my enemies? I wonder; who is who in this conflict. Could she and they be this, the legendary novelized form of adventurers?

-Status.

... b, b, bandit ... queen?

Well I think ... she might be a problem, if she, and they, are being chased and then decide I'm in the way of their getting away from their pursuers. Or maybe not-

"Hi, I'm Max-"

"-stuff it handsome, can we hide in your buildings for a bit? Like that stone one there?"

"... er, no ― stay with me for a bit ― but only because I want to face who else is coming here head on. I have a tale to tell-"

"-they're here!" squeaks a mousy girl in the back. "Where to, boss-"

"HALT!" shouts one of the oncoming men, as the latter horde slows to a more "upper handed" stance on approach. Maybe they think they've got the bandits 'surrounded', or maybe they are just as glad to slow the rush to a halt for a moment. Either way, I can still use this, the same as with the last guy who popped in here. I think.

"No, you halt. This here is my territory."

"... huh? No it's not, kid; this is neutral ground, always has been-"

"But see, I came from another world. Got left here by some guy named Keigo, who gave me a reason to be here. Not just anywhere, but here. So, no matter what you say, I'm settling right in this spot."

"H, hero?" One of the latter riders called out.

"No I'm not. I don't have so 'heroic' a mission to tell. Well I do have things, obligations, but those beat anything you or any other soldier or scout come to tell me. I already had some green armored guy come from the west to tell me I'm also in the wrong for being here; but like I told him, I'll tell you. You can just turn around, go back where you came from, scamper off, go on boys-"

"HEY! We have a mission of our own here, we're here to take in this group standing with you. Eh ... even if you say you just arrived, that don't give you the right- Er, whatever. We want you to stand back, while we exact a criminal punishment upon a thieving group-"

"-punish us, for only taking what's rightfully ours?" protested the bandit queen.

The lead soldier isn't even going to wait for me anymore; he's already starting off on some spiel.

"Miss Niki Olive Dorsey, alias 'Dashing Dorsey' alias 'Nebulous Nicker' alias 'Nodding One' ― you are hereby detained pending all further investigation into the disappearance of Merchant Lord Cattan's wealth. Stand down and present yourself for arrest."

Oho, maybe the soldiers have to 'ask' their target to submit first, before launching an attack-

"That was our payment for services rendered!"

Oh so that is how it is. Naruhodo-¹Japanese, for "I see".

"Excuse me ― guards from the south? Well the moment these people arrived, their leader here did ask for safe haven inside my property. So it's my right to consider such ― as I consider myself a sovereign land, as I am not allied to anyone else here in this world. So. Present your cases, both of you. Miss Dorsey ... since those people are chasing your group ... you can begin."

The soldiers all looked stupefied, but no less chagrinned at the change of pace. Almost every one of them have dismounted from their creatures, by now; they stand in more combative poses though. Well at least they didn't have to ride for a while; a couple of the Suuderlant soldiers staying on their beasts look saddle-sore as they readjust themselves.

---

PoV: Niki Dorsey (The Bandit Queen).

'Is this boy for real? Being put here by a ... a god?'

"... eh ... um. Hello there handsome; my name is Niki Dorsey, and these here are my friends and coworkers; but these thugs-" I pointed at the soldiers chasing me and my friends, "-they are saying I took something of value not belonging to me. For my part, I worked at something for the ennobled merchant boss, but he did not pay up according to the agreed payment. So ... well it might have been considered thieving ― sort of ― but I did plead and then threaten him first to pay up, or else-"

"-you threatened him with holding a dagger to his privates! No man's gonna stand for that!" shouted back one of the guards with a red faced glare who held a spear. A couple of other soldiers covered their groins in a sudden worry over their own "valuables".

She grinned back at the head soldier sheepishly, then continued. "Well I don't know how else to get him to pay, other than threatening something else of value. Not that he's got any great value in those wrinkled bags of-"

"... and that's all, so far?" the boy added, diverting me from my most well thought up insult at an absent merchant boss. "Aside from taking what you felt is just payment, and then running for being chased ― that's all this problem today is about?"

"... er, yeah ... pretty much. Well ... there's some complications on the running or escaping part-"

"She broke the door to Dayan Street's Temple to Genki!" dared one soldier.

"I wasn't even near there!" Niki glared back, along with her team repeating this denial, and all of them jostled a bit in case they'd have to leap into an attack. My archers have their arrows on the strings.

Hey, I think things are heating up a bit; so now who can change the direction of this standoff ― the handsome young boy? Or one of my team?

"And now your turn, eh ... soldier," this human boy broke in, perhaps peeved with this situation, or the way I describe it ― but hey, I did speak the truth, did I not?

Eh, it's the truth as I said it; I only just left out one small detail but oh well-

The lead guard who'd been chasing us finally slid down off his animal, and presented himself right at the front of his group. He's an easy target but I think he's believing his side is in the right. Or, can't we both be in the right and let this chase be a washout?

"I am Lieutenant Daven Quogg, of the Suuderlant Merchantry Allied Armed Forces. Northern Division, Section Twelve, Unit Nine. I am the unit leader assigned to hunt down this rogue bandit queen or her group, to bring her and them to justice. And, no matter if she did anything of the sort, or not ― I am requested and required to retrieve the assets taken as requested by his lordship. It ... it's my job."

"Well aren't you really so proper," I called out to the lieutenant. So I do think he's kinda attractive ... but the boy over here may be more handsome, in a certain way. Hell I'd even kiss and cuddle with him for a while, just for the experience-

The boy instead stood still, looking like he is deep in thought. The heavy tome he held in his hands, he caused to vanish ― did he somehow have that special ... inventory system? Ooh, that makes him more attractive to me now.

Instead he turned, and spoke back to me. "Miss Niki ― if I may call you thus ― would you walk with me for a minute, I wish to ask some more questions. I promise, no harm shall come to you."

"Why sure, handsome. I'll treat you real nice." He blushed, and I laughed; I got a good one there.

"... w, whatever. Um, the rest of you ― of this bandit group ― this structure with two doors on each side is actually a bathing and toiletries structure; plus a magic space attached to the interior walls will allow you to place your clothes within it so those get clean while you bathe, then extracted to be worn again afterward. There's four total rooms and I don't know if you can double up but ... the cost is some small bit of your mana, which I assume everyone has. Once you enter, a 'status screen' will show your own stats and mana capacity, and allow you to use that for the usage fee. Some extras may allow you to obtain soap or shampoo; this is all for now. Since your leader Miss Niki has asked for safe harbor I will extend the tentative right to bathing facilities to her group, before any others who tread on this space. Feel free to take a rest within, or not, and feel refreshed. Um ... Niki ... is this okay with you, me sharing this treat?"

"Y, yeah."

My head's in a daze; I'm grinning and locked onto him. The young man has me wet, with the chills and thrills of the moment. Then again, so would likely be all the other girls in my unit. We don't often get such a cut and dried offer to clean up so nice and pretty, like he's telling us now.

And for the boy's offer, I think my team would likely guard this place, with their lives-

---

PoV: Maxwell Townsend.

I have the feeling I should not be blushing so vigorously, especially not in front of someone who might be a solution to the next problem I might face. Even if we walked dozens of steps out into the grassland.

"M, miss-"

"Just Niki is fine, honey. You okay for dropping your trousers and us just doing it here?"

I gulped, and she again chuckled. Damn. She's reading me too well; I feel I should be more opaque on the reaction, but she's got me.

But I might have her, too. I'm not the best at judging by scent; but if I'm correct she's in her fertile cycle, and she's probably got an interest in me for now. All something I can use to good effect, for the long term.

Well I am still missing my Sarah; but by this point I think I'll have to just ... let it go, for the moment. And not like I'd just jump into it with another girl, so soon ― but this Niki might be an interesting one to try on for size.

"So if I can ask ... in general ... since I don't know this world. Are you, perchance, being hunted everywhere you go?"

"Yeah and it's not fair. I only meant to protect me and my little sister, but she got nabbed and slaved and shipped off to somewhere else. I'm really just trying to gain enough wealth I can buy her back, so I can honor the last wishes of my fa-"

I see her choked up, a human reaction, a different reaction than the norm; but in this moment it's understood. I nod, and let her continue.

"Well yeah. It's like that. Started out adventuring at fourteen, got wounded and stepped away from it for a while. Injured my pride more than my sword arm. Turned mercenary on my own after I recovered, because the guild couldn't take me back; then got some of the girls I'd known to help us find jobs. And somehow in our dealing with the big fish, the nobles with deep pockets, we somehow got unfairly branded or pegged as gold diggers too. After being outed from our own mercenary group on some trumped up charge, we had to make banditry a way of life, which none of us really wanted to do. But you know, to survive- eh ... I would take this on all by myself but ... they got papers identifying some of my friends here too, doing this-"

I held up a hand to halt her, which she did thankfully, or she'd continue on forever.

"Will you consider returning what they came to get, so they can take back something?"

"... I, I can't do that! Boy. I'm trying to gain money ― to feed my friends and save some for finding and rescuing my sister!"

"-nevertheless. Will you give it back, if I say ... I will allow you a place to live or work or eat, and then help you find your sister too? Can I be the intermediary to help you in this? You and your team ― if you wish to rest here a while, are free to do so. I may have a way, you know-"

She stopped. Hard stop, slack jaw, to really consider these words finally.

"... you really mean this? Um, what's your name again-"

I should feel insulted; I'd just said it few minutes before, but it's understandable if she cannot recall for the stress of the moment.

"My name is Maxwell Townsend; or Max, if you are feeling friendly enough for any nickname. And yes, as I said earlier, being brought here by Keigo did grant me some special features ... to maybe help you find your sister too. I won't divulge what kinds of skills or abilities yet, and will ask you not to pry into them; but if I make a promise then I will promise to keep my word, to the best of my efforts. Which is why I ask for you to give your word."

"If you are speaking true, then ... yes. Help me, and I'll give back all ... oh. Crap! Oh sorry Max. Um, wait, not sure I can- Some of that is still promised as a loot share to the others, so ... I guess I can't really promise it away."

"Well then how about we go back in a while-"

"Wanna make out, first? Grass is nice to roll around in-"

I roll my eyes at the blunt offer, then chuckle before moving along in my query. "-so your teammates get a chance to have a bath first, and I let you ask them for their opinions. If I grant you a haven I'm also likely to grant them the same thing. In short, as I said, I'm building a settlement here ― you weren't wrong to say this place wasn't here mere hours ago. I can build stuff, if I have the resources."

"Hey. Max. You got one of them inventory systems, or something?" She's grinning wickedly, for some inner thought. Hopefully, not one at my expense.

If she can guess this much, I probably do not need to deny it. Might as well admit to the eventual truth coming out-

"... yes? Why."

"Hmm just wondering. If you did then I can understand how you can build ... I think. People have certain thoughts, just speculation really, about the past heroes of Keigo who were also able to do it. Because I like the thought of staying somewhere for a while ... well, not if we have to battle goblins out here on the plains-"

I grinned subtly. "I got a plan for that, which goes toward building a wall around here. Actually more of Keigo's gifts will come in handy. It's all I will say, until this thing is straightened out."

"Well okay, handsome. But I expect full honesty before the night's over!"

---

The two of us talk about random things; I got the idea to ask some things about this world, and all of a sudden she's a regular chatterbox, telling me more than Keigo did. That lazy god!

Well I will say Keigo did tell me properly of the 'major' issues; just not so thoroughly as someone who lived within the world would experience it. Perhaps Keigo did not see the greed of the nobles and royals as such a big obstacle to deal with, or he did not think the low literacy rate in the world's kingdoms were concerns?

I for one am listening, raptly at attention, questioning for clarity when I think I need to. She's like an older sister teaching her younger brother, right now. I ... I might be liking this, a little too much. Of course, to get her overt 'come-ons' are another thing altogether.

But I also think the moment is doing her good, as well. She's so lively, as perhaps she's had few opportunities to do in this world, with people outside of her own bandit group.

At last I say it's likely time to head back, for us to rejoin the rest of them ― I think I heard a girl's voice squeak in glee ... she's been through the bathing routine twice.

Returning to both groups, more or less still a standoff ― except now all the girls are cleaned with shining faces, and adamant to stay where they are. I'm sure some of the men out there would also like to take a turn at this; already at least two of them are doing the 'I gotta go' dance. And since the girls did take their leisure time while Niki and I were ... feeling each other out ... then those soldiers are probably a nervous wreck in how long they've held off such a treat. Well they could just walk into the grasses and 'drop pants' and just 'go' ... but being so close to a bathing and sanitation structure, maybe one made by a god ... they'd want this experience too.

"So ... here's what's up, lieutenant. Miss Niki and I talked a bit; she's gonna talk to her teammates for a bit; which means you guys can then come forward and use my toilet and bath for a turn. Same rules for you, it uses such little amounts of mana that you should at least feel clean and refreshed when it's done. For now ― Niki's team, follow her for a moment ― and then you guys can come forth."

It works like a charm. The girls in the team are already laughing and chatting about how wonderful a bath felt, and to get it without having to pay silver coin! All are saying, they did not know what their statistics are or could have been. I think one who is looking back at me, some priestess (a girl with catlike ears) if I gauge my senses right, is probably gonna leap at me like the wolf girl might leap to her prey. Hmm; gotta watch all of them tonight, or I might be served up as the main course.

Not like I would mind, if they were to make me their gentle nighttime companion ... help me get over missing my special someone-

Going in, the guys are smelly, sweaty, and probably have been dealing with the pains of hard riding for so long ― as one would expect. But then again, they one by one come out in time from their bathing experience, armors and clothes all cleaned, bodies cleaned and on the mend from whatever happened in the past, and also look far more happier than when they first appeared here.

Since the lieutenant is the first one out of experiencing the toiletries ― oh I guess his mana potential is low ― I call to him too. "Mister Quogg, would you come aside and talk to me separately too? I'm not being partial to them, I want to be fair ― if your unit will hold still in place-"

"... yeah okay."

---

Out a ways in the grasses, Daven opens up.

"You serious ― sent here by a god?"

"Yes; though for a deity whose claim is responsibility ... I think it strange he's not. OW!" I got another minor zap for some reason. "Well anyway. I would like to ask, is your quest to return the exact objects taken ― or to take in the group no matter what?"

"... well ... the orders weren't so cut and dried-" He shrugged, and then continued. "A merchant lord being what he is- Aah I forget. You don't know him. Well let's just say, I'd hope you don't meet him except if you're just passing on the street. He has a way of always profiting, no matter what. He nabs all the slaves with skills, and then uses them to his own adv- Um. Promise me you won't repeat this? I have a family-"

"I'm not going to get you in trouble with your boss-"

"-technically not my direct boss, but whatever. He's got an ego, and got a line into the military commander ― probably got some blackmail material on her too ― and that puts not only me but other units and their leaders in a tight bind. Just between you and me ... I'd rather be here than there."

I shook my head at these words. "Noted. So it's nothing personal against the bandit group, not personal for you or any of your soldiers?"

"Well Kreg might claim otherwise; but the truth is, in our line of work, we've always got something new to worry about. Kreg can just get a new pair of pants the one girl cut open on the crotch."

I just pictured that! That's probably why the one guy is still sitting stiffly in the saddle!

Shaking my head to wipe away the stray thought, instead I pass the time with a new inquiry.

"So Daven. Tell me your opinions on what's going on in this world. What's happening in Suuderlant and other places? So I can have a sense of the world around me."

---

For another quarter hour, he mentioned some things perhaps long kept repressed in his mind; maybe it did him good to say these things, because he frowned less, and maybe even smiled just a touch. Then we softly headed back to the central scene of the standoff.

At long last ― after the final man of the soldier unit got done and was feeling so refreshed ― Niki and her gang were stepping back into the scene.

I nod to Niki, then ask, "Did it go well?"

She laughed. "Yeah better than you think. Make the offer okay, love."

Bypassing all reaction to that, for the moment ― I turn back to the guys, and clear my throat.

"So ... guys, uh, soldiers. I made a plan, if these who you are pursuing do give back what was requested of you to obtain, will you then take it and leave? I also think it will mean they will no longer trouble that noble. And I hope he would no longer trouble them."

"... uh-"

"That's not an absolute yes or no," I press only slightly to Daven. "I will ask you directly. If you have such an itemized listing of what you are to take ― and you tell these things and ask this team to return the items ― will you take those things and just go, from here? And leave them alone?"

The men are looking to their boss. Daven, who finally just shrugs in surrender. "Yeah okay. What do I care, he's a jerk anyway. It's such a nice bath house you got, best I've experienced in years. If you really are from another world ... I can see how and why it's like this."

The girls cheer not so silently, and even some of the soldiers look less tense as they stand. Quogg sighs to this, but then as it clears down he starts listing things ― the bandit team is doing what their part of the deal requires, and returning items from their satchels. Amounts of coins, the most of it.

A tense moment breaks out as one of the bandit girls argues with one of the soldiers over a mere technicality ― one of the items taken is an artifact which was then sold in a curio shop for some amount of money. The lieutenant tried saying then to give more money, the amount they got for the artifact so the soldiers could then buy it back.

Niki wanted to go into the argument fists swinging, but I held her back ... barely. I'm sure if she really wanted to, she'd overpower me and the fight would be on; but in this moment I do think she's aiming more for intimidation of the other side and protection of her own team.

... wolf girl bares teeth at soldier ... it's super effective! Soldier runs off in shame-

I also step forward (after Niki falls to laughing on the ground, almost howling with glee in wolfish fashion, rolling around a second) to offer the lieutenant holding the loot bag a word of advice.

"Does that merchant lord always get his way? or can he just take it as a win for getting this much back?"

"... well I guess ... he'll just have to live with this much then."

Aah. Now we can all relax; this matter is taken care of.

What next, hmm?