She Captures the Merchant

"Ah, yes. I remember. Someone left a piece of garbage in my room. Was that you? Such a dirty thing, why would I even want to touch it? But, if so, then I am rather curious...How did you get inside my room without a key?" Robin prodded.

"It seems that, rather than the elves, perhaps I should examine your business, instead. A man who can open doors without a key, is there any such man who is also a good person?"

The surrounding crowds took two steps back and stared at the merchant warily. Those who could open doors without keys were either assassins or thieves. Either way, no one could easily place their trust in him so easily again.

Robin's eyes sharpened. "Guards. Apprehend him!" She ordered. The two knights, easily lifted this 350 lb ball of trembling cowardice, and dragged him to one of the rooms, which had been set up for interrogation.

The crowds soon dispersed, some to spread the news, others to go about their own business. Either way, from that moment on, that merchant's reputation was shattered to bits. His cushy career was over.

------

Robin entered the interrogation room, to see the merchant still trying to talk his way out of it.

"Let's be honest here. Who is your accomplice?" She began.

"Hmmph! I won't say a word! You cannot make me speak!" The merchant turned away, screwing his mouth shut. Robin took out a dagger and shoved it into the wooden wall before his eyes.

"I think you're mistaken about something. You don't have a choice in this matter." Robin's angelic grin was in place. "So, you need to tell us quickly who was helping you out or..."

"..Or what?" The merchant gulped and asked, the fat on him shivering uncontrollably.

Robin pointed at Quinn. "He gets to eat roasted, barbecued merchant~!" She beamed. The merchant's eyes widened, terrified. This crazy hero was mad enough to bring a cannibal into a settlement!?

"Did I mention he's the king of the Slimes, Demon Protectorate, Tarquinn?" Robin added. "I hear death by slime can be rather slow and gruesome... Don't worry! Even though we're barbecuing you first, we'll make sure your alive enough to feel it."

"What would you like to hear!" The merchant's attitude did a complete 180° turn as he bowed in dogeza to Robin.

"Who is your accomplice?" Robin asked. "All of them."

----

Robin walked out of the room with a brilliant smile on her face. Behind her, in the room, the merchant was passed out in fear. Quinn came out behind her.

"Really though, isn't that mean to use me to threaten him? I don't even eat humans!" Quinn complained.

"I know that, and you know that, but he doesn't know it." Robin replied. I'll be troubling you to send him over to the elves, after Skye gets back from sending my message."

"Looks like I'll be swallowing him up anyways..." Quinn sighed, looking depressed.

"Make sure he doesn't escape. If you get it done well, then I'll make some crumpets and clotted cream for afternoon tea " Robin promised.

"At your service, Hero!" Quinn saluted with utmost seriousness. As a former Englishman, crumpets and clotted cream was not something he would ever want to miss.

"Instead of companions, it seems I've only brought along foodies." Robin noted with a raised eyebrow. Nearby, Chelsea chortled upon hearing her.

"Only the best food can tempt our picky palates!" Quinn responded, pretending Chelsea did not exist. He did not want a certain jealous dragon to turn a red eye in his direction.

"You know better than I that these are folk recipes." Robin scowled. "What best food?"

"The recipes are best which can withstand the test of time." Quinn replied. "The fact that they are the most popular makes them the best."

Robin rolled her eyes. "Go on then. I have food to prepare." She shooed him away. Jasmine came out soon after that, hiding a yawn.

Seven hours of rest was adequate, despite a bit lacking. lt was a common enough rule that one may skip breakfast, but never brunch. Anyone willing to do so was either impoverished, sick, or had a hidden stash of snacks.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot. Here." Jasmine handed the novel over to Robin. "Something fun to read while you're waiting for our guests to arrive."

"Oh? Thanks, I guess?" Robin assumed it was harmless since Jasmine said it was fun. She put it aside to read after brunch. Ponzu had already prepared a full spread of breakfast foods, which were quickly devoured by Robin's company.

Those who were eating sandwiches for lunch, could only swallow their saliva, tears, and sandwiches while watching the hero's party eat. Robin, noticing the pointed stares, beckoned Ponzu over and whispered into his ear. Ponzu looked surprised, then glanced sideways at Robin wondering if he was serious. Robin shoed him away, and sat back with a grin.

Ponzu came out of the kitchen with plates piled high with breakfast foods. These were placed on a nearby unoccupied table. Once the table was full of food, Ponzu announced that the Hero was celebrating the capture of a heinous criminal. Thus, the food on this table could be eaten free of charge.

At this, the people who had come to eat were delighted. Some of them even cheered. No one hated free food. And the envious eyes were exchanged to grateful ones.

Around this time, Skye returned to the favored place on Robin's shoulder, demanding a bacon cheese egg sandwich. Robin placed Skye in her lap. Then moved a plate closer so that Skye could eat at the table like a person.

This both surprised the party, and tickled all the ladies' fancy. Everyone thought Skye was even more adorable pretending to be a human. But, to some, Skye's cuteness was lost.

The innkeeper sneered at seeing an animal eating at one of his tables. He hated cats. He hated even more that the Hero owned a pet cat, and now cats were getting popular as pets.

The man turned away from the sight, walking away from the dining room. And made his way to one of the locked bedrooms in the inn. He took out the master key, and quietly unlocked the door, opening it.

The light from the hallway shone into the room, revealing the unsightly figure of the unfortunate merchant, who was still in a dead faint. The innkeeper lifted his arm, a sinister blade clenched firmly in his hand. He walked slowly over towards where the fainted merchant lay silently.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A voice came from the wall behind the opened door. "He's already confessed everything, your own involvement included. Looks like I was right to keep him here to catch you in the act."

The innkeeper turned to see Quinn leaning up against the wall next to the opened door. The guilty man quickly threw his blade, stabbing Quinn through the heart, and pinning him to the wall.

"Heh. Good luck! You need to be alive to catch me." The man smiled crookedly. These lousy do-gooders really needed to learn a lesson in precaution. This wasn't the first time he had gotten away with murder.

Quinn glanced down at the knife, which was buried in him up to the hilt.

"It appears I've been impaled." He chuckled. "Do you honestly think this little knife is going to stop me from administering justice?" Quinn moved forward, leaving the knife stuck fast in the wood of the wall. All signs of knife wounds on his person or on his cloak had disappeared.

"Think again~" Quinn hummed. He could somehow understand why Robin always smiled when dealing with hooligans and villains. It felt downright satisfying to see their expressions when they realized just how deeply they had dug their own graves.

The fat merchant in the corner dissolved, forming itself into a doppler slime. The innkeeper's face turned white as he realized what sort of nightmare he was up against.

-------

Quinn soon came out of the now empty room, and went straight to Robin to report.

"Mission accomplished." He informed.

"Good job~" Robin replied, looking up from brunch. "It didn't even take you that long either. Care to join us for brunch?" She pointed to the table. "No crumpets, yet, I'm afraid. I haven't had time to enter the kitchen yet."