Don't mess with nobility, please!

"Master Ryu, it happened! it finally happened!"

Mia ran across the hall calling for Ryu out loud, she opened the door to his room and there she saw a sleeping Ryu with Mochi curled up on the bed. The only one already awake was the amarok, busy chasing his own tail like always.

That sight made Mia think for the first time on her status as a pet. 'How did things end up like this? Am I the same as those creatures?' she thought to herself.

It's not that she wasn't happy with how Ryu treated her, after thing settled down Ryu had been a lot nicer to her than before. She also enjoyed everyone's company and the business was thriving more than ever.

But these were not her friends and this wasn't her shop anymore.

She offered herself as a pet without a second thought because at that moment it was either that or being turned to the guards. She did what she had to survive, that has always been her reasoning. She only stole what she needed to survive, she only charmed people to survive, she only put on a smile in front of everyone to survive.

Survive, survive, survive... that was all she could think of.

Only now she didn't have to worry about getting health potions because Ryu kept her well fed all this time, she didn't have to worry about her safety either because the place was never alone, and as if it wasn't enough, now she didn't have to fear the merchant's association anymore because Ryu took care of it.

Mia recalled that time Sera told her it wasn't her place to greet Ryu on the entrance, but then, what was her place?

Should she sleep on his bed like Mochi? Should she guard over his master's sleep overnight as the amarok? what could she possibly do to repay her master for all he had done for her?

With these thought in her mind Mia was so distracted she failed to notice the pillow headed straight to her face.

"Why are you so noisy in the morning?"

Ryu's aim was as accurate as always, leaving her with a slightly flushed face as the pillow fell to the ground after hitting her.

"M-m-master, please excuse me but it's noon already, I know you were hurt yesterday and I wouldn't bother you if this wasn't important, you know"

Mia stuttered.

"What is it?"

"Miss Athela came to surrender"

Ryu got up so fast Mochi fell rolling down the bed, but the fat cat was so fluffy it was as if it fell on a soft cushion of fur and didn't emit a sound.

When Ryu entered the dining room Athela was drinking a cup of tea Claire had served her while the shieldmaiden stood right behind her master.

"So, Mia tells me you have something to discuss with me, miss Athela"

Ryu scoffed at the lady, who remained sitting showing the difference in social standings, wearing the now usual daydress. Ryu came so abruptly she wiggled in her chair.

"Mister Ryu, it's a pleasure to see you as always"

She said after regaining composture.

"Oh, really? because I've noticed you've been avoiding me like the plague lately"

"Can you really blame me? I just didn't want to end up trapped in a bad deal again. Anyways, I'm here to find a way to settle things that will benefit us both"

"Before that, I'd prefer to speak with your master"

Ryu said looking straight at the shieldmaiden.

"What do you mean? She's my..."

Just as she was about to rebuke, the blond shield maiden put her hands on the lady's shoulder and took a seat in front of Ryu. When she took off her helmet her delicate features were revealed and her blond hair shined with the brightness of the sun leaving Ryu starstruck for a couple seconds.

"When did you notice?"

The shield maiden asked.

"To be honest, I wasn't completely sure until just now, but there were several clues. First, the way she adresses you is always respectful, the fact that she looked really worried after she couldn't use the haggle skill but when she came back she did so with confidence, so she must have consulted with someone in a higher position and finally, her attire"

"Her clothes?"

"Yes, she always dressed nicely, but after a while she started repeating her clothes making me doubt. Then I noticed despite always being clean, you smell of perfume and she does not. One of these may not seem like much, but all things put together, either you were her master or there's another person I haven't met yet"

"I'm impressed mister Ryu, When my cousin told me how you fared in the adventurer's guild you seemed like a completely different person"

"Your... cousin?"

"Yes, Thea. I asked her to follow you around for a while in the adventurer's guild. She's already an E rank, but she registered in other city so there's no record of her in Celarent. All she had to do is ask for another soulbound card and they happily obliged thinking she was a new recruit."

"So... that's why that girl didn't want to hunt rats after all... she just needed to stay close to me to gather information"

"Actually... Things are more complicated than that. Allow me to start over, I'm Lady Athela of house Celarent, and for personal reasons up to this point you have been dealing with my personal maid."

"Pleased to meet you miss Athela"

"Lady!"

The servant who everyone thought was Athela scoffed loudly.

"So, I assume you're telling me all this with a reason behind"

"Please, don't make it sound so underhanded. The fact that I hid my name has nothing to do with our business relationship, it's just a safety measure. But you're right too, I'm telling you this because you have me cornered. I'll be honest with you, we've been buying all your tonics at 3 silver each everyday and selling them at the same price. In theory, my funds should've remained the same, but after a while people were not buying them and now my warehouse is filled to the brim with tonics that no one wants to buy, I really underestimated your abilities. To think you were able to craft so many of them, even after we bribed the merchants so they don't sell you any medicinal herbs..."

"Yeah, I didn't like that one bit by the way"

"It was just business... I would like you to break our deal"

The real Athela said embarrasingly.

"That's just not possible, like you said, it's just business"

"But, what do you want? I'm already out of funds and there's nothing else for you to gain out of this. My poor maid even sold all the clothes I gave her and..."

"That's a problem alright, but it doesn't concern me in the slightest. Don't try to take out people's businesses if you're not ready to accept the consequences if you lose"

"I was afraid you might say that... In that case, I'll have no other choice than to destroy you completely. The reason why I take down businesses is not selfish at all, you're not familiar with Celarent's history but there's a lot more to it and it's not your place to know my reasons. If you're being unreasonable, I'll be unreasonable too"

"Wow, is that really the way you should be speaking to someone you're asking a favour? If you're not careful you might end up being a slave you know"

Ryu said, inwardly cursing at Mia for her sticky phrase.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm a noble and there are many things I can do to make your life miserable"

"In case you haven't heard yet, I'm cursed, so I don't give a literal rat's ass about your city's history, your personal issues or your nobility. If I don't find a way to fix my problem I'll be dead soon, so, unless you have a way to help me with my curse before our deal expires, you'll be so indebted to me not even becoming a slave will be enough to pay back"

"So, you're saying you'll keep crafting those tonics?"

"Exactly, I will keep crafting them everyday and if you fail to pay the proper amount of money before the month ends..."

"You idiotic scumbag, who do you think you're talking to!? If my lady wasn't in this situation she wouldn't even speak to you!"

Athela stopped her maid from further swearing by placing a hand in front of her.

"Don't bother, I think we've overstayed our welcome anyways. You've made a powerful enemy mister Ryu..."

She spat those words as she left the place making everyone present sigh in relief.