The Adored Shopkeeper

Treasure Knight

You stirred awake as you heard knocking at the door, making you sit up. You quickly stand up and rush towards the door after rubbing your eyes, reaching for the door handle.

"Yes?" You questioned after opening the door.

"Can you help us?" The stranger frantically asked. "My friend is badly hurt!"

"Oh my, yes, bring them in!"

Just as you stepped aside, the stranger shoved you to the wall as their friend rushed in and proceeded to destroy the place.

"Where's the gold?" The one holding you still asked harshly.

"I don't-" you were silenced when you felt them slap you in the face.

"Answer the question."

You slightly shook as you kept tears from spilling over, a slight stinging sensation on your cheek.

"U-under my bed in the corner." You replied quietly.

"Check under the bed." The stranger told their friend.

The other stranger checked under the bed and smirked before pulling out a large jar of gold that you had saved.

"Just what we needed." They said, standing up with the jar in hand.

They said nothing more as you were let go and watched as they left. The moment they left, you fell to the floor and finally let out the tears that were brimming your eyes.

All your hard earned gold, your weekly earnings, gone.

You spent the rest of the morning cleaning up your little cabin, dried tear streaks on your still stinging face. A knock at your door made you look in that direction as fear instilled in your mind. You approached the door and opened expecting to be the thieves from before but instead it was a tall woman in a trenchcoat with an anchor and diving helmet.

"'Hello, um, do you need anything?" You asked cautiously, looking up at her.

She didn't say anything and just stared, making you grow a little nervous. She then brought up her hand and pointed at you.

"Your face is red." She states, making you widen your eyes.

"O-oh, it's nothing." You said almost immediately, covering the mark on your face. "Do you require something from me or....?"

"Yes, a minion of mine came earlier today to collect your tax but came back empty." She explained. "So I came here myself to see what the problem was."

You felt tears brim your eyes again, remembering what happened earlier.

"I'm sorry, I can't pay this week, a couple of thieves stole all of my gold." You admit, looking down.

The woman stayed silent, making you assume that she was thinking at the moment.

"Don't worry about it, you don't have to pay this week's tax." She said, surprising you.

"A-are you sure?" You ask. "I can pay double next week if-"

"No, that won't be necessary. The usual amount is fine."

"Well, thank you, I don't know what to say."

You smile softly as you wipe your eyes.

"Would it be alright if I came next week?" The woman asked.

"Yeah, that's fine." You say. "And, uh, no offense but you're a lot nicer than your minion."

You could've sworn you saw her twitch but couldn't tell.

"Oh, really?" She inquires, her voice sounding pressed.

"Yes, they snatch the bag from me before I even get the opportunity to give it to them."

"Well, I'll have a talk with them when I get back."

With that, she turns around and starts to leave.

"Hey, wait!" You called out, making her stop.

You rushed to catch up with her as you take out an item from your pocket. She turns around as you stop in front of her.

"Uh, here's a small thank you gift." You state, placing a seashell bracelet in her hand. "I realized it was too big for me, so I thought you could have it."

You silently watch as she picks up the bracelet and puts it on her gloved wrist, seeing it fit perfectly.

"It fits!" You exclaim excitedly, looking up at the tall woman.

You watch as she tilts her head slightly.

".....Thank you." She says, making you smile.

"Don't worry about it." You spoke. "I assume you have business to attend to, so I'll let you get to that."

You wave goodbye and turn around, walking back to your small cabin. You close the door behind you and continue cleaning your cabin, feeling a lot better.

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Treasure Knight sat at her desk, counting the gold in each bag that sat in front of her. She glanced at the seashell bracelet upon her gloved wrist, smiling to herself as she remembered who she got it from.

'Pretty.' She thought, her mind going to the person she met recently.

She looked back in front of her just in time for a minion of hers to walk in, frowning upon seeing it was the one who collected people's taxes.

"What do you want?" She asked bitterly, continuing to count the gold in front of her.

"You needed to see me, Captain?" The minion asked, stopping in front of her desk.

Treasure Knight stopped counting the gold after hearing this, standing up and leaning over the desk with her hands.

"Yes, I'd like to know why you were rude to one of my faithful tax payers." She spoke harshly.

The minion became confused as to what she was talking about.

"Which one?" They asked in a state of confusion.

"The one that's just south of the Village." She answered, not so friendly.

The minion faltered a bit before masking their sudden fear with confidence.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Captain." They said.

Treasure Knight sighed heavily before walking around her desk, stopping in front of the minion.

"You went to collect their tax earlier today." She explained. "Yet you came back empty handed."

"Yeah, but what's that got to do with me being rude supposedly?" They asked.

"I personally travelled to their cabin and they explained to me what happened, including the bit you were rude to them."

The masked confidence the minion once had is now gone, they stood there shaking with fear.

"You shall never go near their cabin again, or else I'll make sure the Grapps prevent you from seeing the light of day." She threatened. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes, Captain." They replied.

"Get out of my sight."

The minion quickly turned around and scampered off cowardly, making Treasure Knight scoff. She turned and sat back at her desk, continuing where she left off.

Despite having only met the person recently, she wasn't going to let anything happen to them.