The Witch's Relay

Chapter 11: Debt

"You really did it.." Linda's eyes are wide as I hand over the bag of fangs and slime cores.

The second day of my quest, Heather had stayed back at the inn, and I was only able to kill three monsters, so this morning, also on my own, I went out and completed the quest.

I completed the quest on the the third day, with two days remaining on the clock.

"Told you I could." I grinned at the clerk.

"But still. These were lower leveled monsters, so don't get too cocky and bite off more than you can handle next time."

She then shoots me a little glare. "Like the time before." 

"..." I just stare at her without a reply. 

She places my payment of one gold coin on the wooden tray which she slides towards me.

I grab the coin and stuff it into my empty money pouch. Heather had insisted on keeping the rest of the money, as it had come from selling her precious jewelry.

Although since that money also paid for our living situation, I bet she will claim this coin as me "paying her back".

"Nice doing buissness!" I grin, pretending to forget her last remark. 

"Likewise.. come again soon.." She replies in a barely audible mutter. 

...

Yupp. The very moment I had gotten back to the room I found Master demanding my reward as payment for my "debt".

Of course. 

"C'mon, don't be like that!" Heather giggles at my downcast reaction. "It's just one coin. And once you've repaid your monetary debt to me I'll let you keep your rewards. Which.. Will happen sometime in the future I suppose." 

"Just how much do you claim I owe you?" I look at her exhasperated. 

She goes into deep thought and appears to be calculating something. 

"Two royal platinum coins. One for every artifact I had to sell."

"Heh?! Thats like.." I mutter to myself. "A royal platinum coin is worth ten royal gold coins.. a royal gold coins is worth ten platinum coins.. and a platinum coin is in turn worth ten normal gold coins.. So that's like two-thousand gold coins!!" I burst out. 

She just looks at me with an amused smirk. "And lets be honest here, I'm the one being generous here. If we didn't have to hide like this someone would be willing to pay FAR more than a measly two royal golds."

"We only even got a little more than eight gold coins from selling them! How did that become two-thousand coins, and in MY debt by the way?! I never made you sell them!"

"Well.." For some reason she gives me puppy eyes. "If it was just me I wouldn't have had to come to this place.. But considering your training and all that y.. actually nevermind." She sits up straight and looks im my eyes, a sence of satisfaction in hers as she comes up with an idea. 

She's totally making this up on the fly. 

"You owe me your life do you not? And you agreed to be my property until the day I deem you to be a fully fledged mage. And since keeping you alive is unexpectedly turning out to be a financial burden on me, I need to account for your expences and add those to your debt." She looks down in her lap as if she's sad. 

Her rant somehow goes on. "And lets be honest here, I'm the one being generous here. If we didn't have to hide like this someone would be willing to pay FAR more than a measly two royal golds."

The look on her face shows nothing but utter confidence. 

I force myself to look away and put my hand on my forehead. Those big eyes of hers are an unfair advantage. 

"Fine. I suppose I'm stuck with you anyway. I'll let you be our designated wallet. But if you ever for some reason aren't carrying cash when we need, don't blame me." So far this hasn't happened, but I totally feel like she's the type of person to forget her wallet. She haas lived without one for quite a while afterall. 

"Hihi, who do you take me for?" After gently slapping the side of my head she continues. "Don't you believe your master can take care of you? I've kept you alive until now haven't I?" 

I sigh. 

"Just barely.." I start under my breath. "But we both know you forgetting your wallet isn't a matter of life and death-"

"All the more reason not to worry!" She cuts me off before giving me a chance to finish.

"Hmf. While it may not be dangerous like some other encounters we've had, it CAN be a rather big hassle, one which I may add will be pretty embaressing!" 

A giggling Heather jumps backwards onto my bed, and with her arms reaching for the ceiling she states; "Then I guess you'll just have to remind me."

"I will." 

I then walk over into Heather's room for a nap since she seems to have taken over mine. Adventuring is exhausting.

But somehow not as exhausting as my master. 

Even so, I'm happy. When I think back to the last few months a sence of accomplishment and warmth wrap around me. And aside from Heather being impossible at times, she does care. 

Although sometimes I do doubt that. 

Without realizing my lips are pulled into a smile as I drift off to sleep.