ough she knew that she was saying too much, she still tried her hardest to make an expression full of confidence.

But Katsuragi kept staring at Sheryl while trying to look deeper into her words. He then let out a sigh.

“That sounds like you tried to seduce him with your body only to get rejected.”

Sheryl froze up. Looking at that, Katsuragi just smiled invincibly.

“Ah, that face is saying ‘how in the world do you know that?’, huh? It’s not that rare for Hunters who have a high income to bring their girls to my shop. In due time, I became able to see whether those Hunters are genuinely interested in the girls that they’re bringing or if they’re thinking of abandoning those girls anytime soon. After all, it’s one of the essential skills for a merchant, you see. If it’s the former, then it’s a good chance to sell expensive equipment, after all, they would want to flaunt in front of the girls that they are interested in. To be honest, you’re situation seems more inclined to the latter, you know?”

Actually, it was a bet to draw out the truth from Sheryl. Katsuragi actually did not have any evidence to say that far. But after seeing how Sheryl reacted, he at least knew that Sheryl did try to seduce Akira only to get rejected.

“But still, I think it can’t be helped, you know? Sorry to say this, but someone like you is just... Ah, it’s not like I’m mocking you here. It’s more like I’m talking about the standards, I think Akira’s standards are higher.”

“...What do you mean?”

Sheryl could not help but to make a confused expression. Normally, Sheryl would be able to hold herself back, but now it only showed how much she was shocked by Katsuragi’s words. She was also very interested in knowing about Akira’s standards. She thought that she may be able to reap some benefits from it in future.

Katsuragi smiled as if he found her reaction amusing to him.

“This is only my theory, but there’s a lot of beautiful Hunters out there. Ah, when I say Hunters, I mean like Hunters who properly earn their money from working as a Hunter and not like those who are Hunters in name only. Of course, each person has a different basis on what kind of beauty that would make them think a girl is beautiful. But there’s at least a common ground there for everyone. And I believe that would be their health.”

“Health... Huh?”

“Yes, the complexity of the skin, the shine on the hairs, the amount of meat in one’s body. I think most of the people think that a healthy girl is a beautiful girl. So if you use this point of view, then many of the female Hunters are beautiful girls. After all, an unhealthy girl will have problems with manoeuvring around. In order to survive in the wasteland, a Hunter should keep his or her body in tip-top shape. That’s exactly why they would stock powerful medicine to heal their wounds and recover their fatigue. The healing medicines always heal wounds on the cellular level. Thus it would also heal damaged skin. Not to mention that exploring the wasteland is hard work, so it’s impossible for them to get fat. Moreover, some of the medicines would instantly convert any excess fat into energy. Thus I think that health and natural look are the basis of beauty.”

Sheryl listened closely to what Katsuragi said. And at the same time, she also cursed the things that she could not do anything about.

“The cellular level of healing from the medicines can also be thought of as an anti-ageing process. That’s why some of the Hunters stay beautiful past their prime. But well, you can also say that it’s due to all kinds of beauty products that they can buy from the money that they earn. So then, if we have to compare you with those girls... Well, uhh, you know... the female Hunters that Akira is acquainted with are all beautiful girls.”

Katsuragi then remembered about Elena and Sara, both of them were beautiful girls. Not to mention that they brought Akira to their home when Akira fainted. So he thought that those two girls must be in a good term with Akira. Katsuragi thought that it would not be strange if Akira already got used to seeing such beautiful girls, thus his standard for beautiful girls would have been pulled higher.

Sheryl’s voice trembled a bit as she said.

“So... what do you want me to do? Is there any meaning in telling me all this?”

Seeing that there was a shred of frustration in Sheryl’s behaviour, Katsuragi just gave her a meaningful smile.

“What I’m going to tell you after this is for your sake so that you understand this better. I’ll give you something good, so just wait here for a bit.”

After saying that, Katsuragi went back to his trailer, Sheryl could hear his voice from outside the trailer.

“Darris!! Do you know where those prototypes weapons are kept?”

“You stuffed them back while saying that it won’t sell at all and you’re going to return them back, didn’t you?”

“Ah, you’re right!!”

Not too long after that, Katsuragi returned to Sheryl with a big rucksack and then he just put that rucksack in front of Sheryl.

“Sorry for the wait, I’ll give this to you, it’s a souvenir from me, take it home with you.”

That bag was stuffed with foods that were near their expiration date, guns that did not sell and many other things. All of them were valuable things to Sheryl. Thus Sheryl bowed while being flustered.

“T-thank you very much.”

From inside that bag, Katsuragi took out a few things and showed it to Sheryl.

“There are soaps, makeup kits and many other things inside this bag. Although they’re just trial products, there are also medicines that were produced for Hunter’s use, so it should be better than those cheap medicines. Remember, you should be at least beautiful enough to make Akira think that he’s lucky when you try to seduce him. Let me tell you this upfront though, this is just an investment. I’m not sure why Akira helps you, but for now, you’re the reason why he’ll come to me to sell his relics. So you should work hard so that Akira would not abandon you, and so that he’ll keep selling relics to me. You get that?”

Sheryl still tried to smile even though she could not make a perfect smile.

“Y-yes.”

“I’m looking forward to us working together for a long term.”

Katsuragi then laughed loudly with a shred of expectation his gaze.

Before going back to his inn, Akira decided to visit Shizuka’s shop to replenish his ammo. The moment he entered the shop, Shizuka immediately noticed him and waved at him. Akira found it strange for the person at the counter to take initiative like that, but even so, he just obediently walked to the counter and went on with his order just like usual.

“Shizuka-san, I have come to buy some ammo again, this time I spent a lot of them. So I’ll be buying more than usu-“

Shizuka stopped Akira’s words and hugged him tightly.

Akira was flustered when Shizuka hugged him. He could feel Shizuka’s body temperature and there was a soft sensation hitting him from the front. He was so embarrassed and confused as he tried to break off Shizuka’s hug. But Shizuka kept her arms tight even after knowing that.

“I heard about everything from Elena and Sara. I know well that being a Hunter is a dangerous job and I understand that you need to go above your own limit from time to time. That’s why I can’t say don’t do anything dangerous or don’t push yourself too hard. So at least please let me say this, I’m glad that you’re fine.”

Shizuka tightened her embrace for once more before letting off.

Akira smiled while looking a bit surprised, but his expression immediately changed to contentment as he bowed to Shizuka.

“I’m sorry to have made you worry, but I’m okay now.”

Akira’s reply was so well composed that it was not something that would come out from someone who was unconscious for a few days. Shizuka smiled feeling relieved since it looked like it was not just a facade and Akira was really fine.

“It’s all good as long as you’re fine. Ammo replenishment, right? I’ll bring it right away, just wait here.”

While Akira was waiting for Shizuka, Elena suddenly entered the shop. She noticed Akira as she smiled at him and walked to his side.

“Akira, so you’ve woken up, huh? I never thought to meet you here. Although I already told Sara to contact me as soon as you wake up-“

Elena stopped her words mid-sentence as she noticed a notification came up on her information terminal. She then checked the notification and smiled bitterly.

“It just came. That Sara, she must have forgotten about it.”

Akira then bowed to Elena.

“Elena-san, I’m sorry to have caused you a lot of trouble and thank you very much for taking care of me. And also, sorry for occupying the bed for a few days.”

“Don’t worry about that. It’s big enough for us to sleep together, after all. But that aside, Sara used to unconsciously hug you like a pillow though, so are you okay? That girl is an augmented human, you know. Although she looks like that, she’s actually very strong. She didn’t break any of your bones, right?”

Elena smiled teasingly, to which, Akira could only return it with an awkward smile.

“I-I’m fine.”

[I bet that was just a joke.]

Sheryl dragged her feet to her base. She was on her limit in every sense.

Because Akira did not visit the base for some time, a lot of the gang members started to doubt her, she feared that she would get killed. And when Akira finally came to her base, one of the gang members attacked him, it was just disastrous. She thought that Akira would kill her. And then she met a weapon merchant called Katsuragi and was overwhelmed by his intimidation. She again thought that she would get killed. Finally, Akira said clearly in front of her that he would kill her himself if she did anything foolish.

But when Sheryl returned back to her base, she should behave as if everything was well and she would need to direct her subordinates as if nothing bad had happened. She should keep her poised and confident look in front of her gang members and in front of the other gangs too. At least she needed to keep that up until there was no need for her to fake it. But she was already at her limit now.

Once she arrived in front of her base, Darris who was accompanying her casually put the heavy bag that he was carrying on the ground.

“I won’t carry it inside, you should do the rest yourself.”

The gift that she received from Katsuragi was filled with guns and other useful things, it was quite heavy so it would be hard for Sheryl to carry it herself. Moreover, it would be meaningless if that gift was robbed on her way back. That was why Katsuragi made a smart move and sent Darris to accompany her.

Sheryl politely bowed her head to Darris.

“I understand. Thank you very much for carrying it all the way here.”

“Well, it seems that you’re having a hard time, so give your best, okay?”

Sheryl left a positive impression on Darris as he thought that she was a girl with proper manners although she was raised in the slum city. Thus Darris left Sheryl with those words before he left the place.

Sheryl was somehow able to carry that heavy bag inside the base. The moment she entered her base, all the children in her gang already lined up there waiting for her. Although it was a correct manner for welcoming the boss, it was obvious that Sheryl looked angry. She thought that she would not see one face anymore as she glared at that person that she deemed unnecessary in her gang. It was Erio.

“And here I thought that you’ll be gone already, but you’re still here, huh?”

Erio flinched back in fear as he tried to calm Sheryl down.

“Sh-Sheryl, I’m really sorry.”

“Sorry? If you have the brain to recognize that you’re at fault, then you should’ve been gone from here.”

“H-He looked like a normal boy. Although he did carry a gun, he did not look like a strong Hunter at all. That’s why I thought that he was tricking you, you see...”

“A normal boy, huh? Normal... Right?”

Erio who was frozen still did not look like he could spout any excuses, while on the other hand, Sheryl had already reached her limit. As such, Sheryl had an outburst now.

“A normal kid, huh!? So for you, a kid who can defeat 3 armed Hunters is normal, huh? A kid who can do this is normal, huh?! So that’s normal inside your head, huh?! If it’s normal for you, then you can do that too, right? In that case, you go ahead and do that too?! Go to the ruins and get some relics then get ambushed on your way back and successfully fight your way out!! You should be able to do that, right? So go and do that!!”

Sheryl who just had an outburst tried to control her breathing. Erio was so scared that he could not move at all and the other children could do nothing but stand frozen there.

Sheryl then turned to the other children and shouted.

“Get that fool out from here!! Quickly!!”

“P-please wait.”

“Get him out of here, right now!! I’m your boss here and I’m telling you to kick him out!! You accepted that I’m the boss, right? If you don’t accept me as your boss, then you get out of this place too!!”

The children around Erio then looked at each other before they grabbed Erio’s shoulders and arms and dragged him outside. Erio just obediently let himself be dragged outside the base while hanging his head low.

Sheryl calmed her breathing. She understood that she had lost her composure just now, so in order to avoid making any mistake, she tried to at least regain her composure as she took a deep breath.

Alicia, a girl who was close to Erio, then spoke to Sheryl.

“Sh-Sheryl... about Erio...”

Sheryl then let out a very long sigh and expelling all the anger left inside her heart. Thanks to that, she was at least able to clear most of the anger left inside her heart and regained her composure to think straight. But even so, she looked at Alicia with a stern look.

“...I know, I know, but we can’t do that now. We can’t let Erio stay in this gang, you know at least that much, right? At least until we have more people in the gang that Akira won’t notice if Erio is mixed up a member of the gang or until Akira has forgotten his anger about him. But until then, we can’t let him in the gang.”

Other children were surprised after hearing Sheryl’s words, then one of them asked Sheryl.

“Increase the members? In this situation?”

“We should at least be able to give some benefits to Akira as soon as possible. Otherwise, he would abandon us, we need to remember that he is not helping us out of kindness. If he abandons us, it would be the end for us.”

“B-but how...”

“Thanks to Akira, we got a connection to a weapon merchant called Katsuragi. We are somehow able to get some help from that merchant. We have no other choice but to use that connection and try a lot of different things.”

Sheryl then opened the bag which she carried. The children who saw the foods, guns and other things inside the bag could not help but let out shouts of joy.

“For now, we were able to get a lot of things thanks to Katsuragi and Akira. So we should come up with a plan before distribu-“

Sheryl caught some children trying to extend their hands to reach inside the bag, she shouted in a loud voice.

“If you take anything from it without my permission, then I’ll kill you.”

The children then stopped from reaching the bag before slowly retracting their arms.

Sheryl glanced at everyone there, thinking about how hard the road ahead for her was to develop the gang, she let out a big sigh.

That day, just like usual, Elena only wrapped herself in a bath towel after finishing her bath while operating the information terminal that was fixed on her head. Looking at that, Sara let out a sigh and said.

(p4553r: Elena’s information terminal is on her head, not on her arm.)

“Elena. Just because Akira already went home, are you going to relax around the house like that again??”

When Akira was in their home, Elena knew that it would be bad if she stayed like that. Although Akira was only a younger boy and was asleep, he was still a boy. That was why she always put on her clothes where Akira was sleeping so that it would be fine if Akira woke up anytime. But now that Akira had already gone home, she started to turn back to her old habits.

Elena ignored that question, she then even criticized Sara who was only wearing a T-shirt on her undies.

“It’s fine, isn’t it? Moreover, I don’t want you to preach me while you look like that yourself. Was that what you were wearing when Akira woke up?”

“Yes.”

“Sara, what the heck were you thinking? You should at least be more careful.”

“It’s okay, Akira’s reaction was pretty amusing.”

“I don’t mean it like that, good grief...”

Looking at Elena who looked like she had already given up on her, Sara just laughed lightly and said to Elena.

“Well, it’s fine, right? It’s just a small service for someone who we owe our lives to.”

Elena was shocked when she heard that as she immediately turned to Sara. Sara’s face also turned serious.

“It was Akira who saved us back then in the wasteland, you know?”

“...I see.”

Elena’s reaction was way lighter than Sara had expected, thus Sara looked a bit surprised.

“You don’t seem that surprised, huh?”

“I somehow expected that you know. Isn’t it the same for you too? But since it seemed like Akira wanted to keep that a secret, I decided not to inquire him about that. I don’t think that Akira would say it himself, so I bet you asked him first, right? Was it okay?”

Sara smiled bitterly as she looked a bit apologetic.

“It went fine. He even apologized for keeping it a secret. Although it was me who pressured him for an answer.”

“Well, it’s fine then, wait, that’s not fine. You did say you are sorry for pressuring him, right?”

“I did say sorry, you know?”

“It’s all good then. Now that we know that he was the one who saved us, we owe him our lives, so be sure not to cause him too much trouble, okay?”

“I know.”

After talking thus far, Sara then looked at Elena with a serious face.

“So Elena, I have a request for you. I’m sure you have a lot of questions that you want to ask him. But please don’t ask him anything and don’t tell anyone about him. After all, I did promise Akira about that. So please, I’m begging you. I know that you might not be fully convinced, but please don’t ask anything and promise me the same.”

Sara was desperate because she did promise Akira that. That was why she resolved herself to definitely get her best friend’s promise now.

In contrast to Sara who was looking dead serious there. Elena just casually but strongly nodded.

“I understand. I give you my promise. I won’t ask anything needless and I won’t tell anyone else. So there’s no need for you to worry.”

“...You’re okay with that?”

Sara was surprised seeing how Elena just gave her promise so easily like that. But Elena just smiled and said.

“I told you this, right? I expected this, that was why I was at least able to guess why he was hiding it and what he would not want us to ask him. I bet you asked Shizuka too, right? So don’t worry, I’ll keep my lips sealed tight about this. And like I said before, I don’t want to cause too much trouble to someone that we owe our lives to.”

Sara was surprised and then smiled bitterly.

“...You already know everything, huh? Am I that easy to read?”

“After all, you suddenly asked me about the people who can connect to the old domain. Sara, when you want to hide something, you should be careful when you ask your questions, you know? Because the people that you asked would at least think of why you ask that question.”

Sara realized her mistake and felt a bit downhearted, but she then decided to just change the mood and smiled.

“...As I thought, it is correct to leave negotiations to you.”

“Yep, just leave that to me. Next time we meet Akira, I need to properly say my thanks too.”

After saying that, Elena smiled pleasantly and laughed.

“Sara, now that we know the real identity of our saviour, what do you think after realising that he’s not a young man from a rich family?”

Sara looked a bit annoyed and embarrassed.

“Please spare me from the teasing.”

Although Sara was a bit confused about Elena’s remark, she remembered the embarrassing imagination she had of their saviour. She couldn’t help but blush heavily, which was rare for Sara.

Seeing how her best friend looked a bit at loss at first and finally coming to a conclusion herself, Elena just smiled amusingly.