The bounty for the Bowel Hunter would certainly be enough for Gojo Satoru to pay Felt back, with plenty to spare.
Reinhard nodded politely to Old Man Rom, carrying a beautifully packaged box. He stepped into the room with a somewhat apologetic expression.
"My apologies."
"The verification for the bounty is still in progress. It may take some more time."
Gojo Satoru, who had been looking so energetic just a moment ago, instantly wilted upon hearing Reinhard's words. He slumped onto the table, looking utterly drained.
"This is exactly why I hate bureaucracy."
"Reinhard, how did you find us? We only just moved here," Subaru Natsuki asked, not minding the delay. Whether it was one copper or ten Holy Gold coins, he didn't have a single one anyway—he was just a penniless guy with nothing to lose.
"It took a little time; I just asked around along the way," Reinhard explained with a smile as he approached the table.
"We don't have any tea or anything to serve you here," Felt said dryly, pointing to a nearby chair. Although she knew Reinhard was a "good guy" and hadn't made things difficult for them last time, Felt—having lived as a thief for so long—still felt a natural resistance toward these "law enforcers."
"Please, don't worry about it."
Reinhard spoke as he placed the box on the table. "I brought some sweets. I hope you enjoy them..."
"I do! I definitely do!"
Gojo Satoru, who had been completely listless, snapped back to life instantly. He snatched the box and flipped it open. Upon seeing the exquisitely crafted small cakes inside, he gave Reinhard a big thumbs-up.
"If you don't mind, please feel free to visit me often. It would be even better if there were sweets every time."
Reinhard chuckled. "These were made by the house steward. If you like them, you are more than welcome to visit my home as a guest."
"I certainly will."
Gojo distributed the small cakes from the box to everyone one by one. Then, while savoring his cake, he asked curiously, "Since the bounty hasn't come through yet, you must have come today for a reason, right, Reinhard?"
"Yes."
"There is something I need to inform you of. I will take your decision back with me."
Reinhard spoke seriously, then delivered an unexpected piece of news. "Margrave Roswaal, the supporter of Lady Emilia, heard about the incident with the Bowel Hunter and is deeply grateful to you all."
"He said that the Bowel Hunter's true target was likely Lady Emilia. If it weren't for you, Lady Emilia would have been in great danger. Therefore, he has invited you to his estate, as he wishes to express his gratitude properly..."
"Reinhard."
Before Reinhard could even finish, Gojo Satoru moved like a gust of wind, appearing by his side and slinging an arm over his shoulder with great fervor.
"You said a noble's gratitude, right? That shouldn't just be verbal. It wouldn't be too much to ask for some money, would it?"
"That... wouldn't be too much," Reinhard thought for a moment and shook his head.
"Then this Margrave, who is also the Kingdom's strongest magic user, shouldn't be short on cash, right?"
"He is not," Reinhard answered honestly. "Margrave Roswaal's family is a lineage of mages. Furthermore, they have deep ties to Costuul, the industrial city famous for magic tools—one of the five major cities of the Kingdom. They are quite a wealthy noble house."
"Then for saving a life, asking for a few hundred Holy Gold coins as a reward shouldn't be a problem, right?"
A few hundred... Holy Gold coins?
Felt's breathing began to grow heavy. Her petite frame unconsciously leaned toward Reinhard; she didn't want to miss a single word or syllable. Subaru Natsuki, who had already learned about the purchasing power of Holy Gold, was also captivated by the mention of such a massive fortune.
Reinhard was left somewhat stuck between laughter and tears by Gojo's blunt, undisguised motives, but he still replied, "It should not be a problem."
"Perfect!"
Gojo polished off his cake in two bites and turned to Felt. "I think our 'entrepreneurship plan' can be put on hold for now."
"I thought you were going to say something weird again, but for once, we're on the same page."
Entrepreneurship? Who cared about entrepreneurship when they could do that anytime? But if they missed out on a wealthy high noble like this, there truly wouldn't be another chance. Gojo getting money was as good as her getting money. This time, no matter what, she wasn't letting those twenty Holy Gold coins fly away!
"Are you guys really that sure he's just planning to thank us?" Subaru threw a bucket of cold water on the excited duo. "What if he's trying to lure us there just to cause trouble?"
"Are you an idiot?" Felt snapped. "If he wanted to cause trouble, he'd just send people here to the slums. Why go through all that effort?"
Felt had spent some time in fear because of Emilia's status, but because of that, her little head had played out many scenarios. As she said, if the other party really wanted to deal with them, they would just act directly.
"Besides, Reinhard is the one delivering the message. If anything actually happened to us, I'm sure Reinhard wouldn't just sit idly by. He'd investigate and make sure justice is served for us! Isn't that right?"
Gojo spoke with a grin, using a classic bit of "moral kidnapping" to bind Reinhard to their cause. Through their few encounters, Gojo had realized that in this relatively backward era, the members of the Knights—both in terms of moral character and other aspects—far surpassed the general populace. If he had to describe them, they were firmly in the "Lawful Good" camp, possessing high ethical standards.
And the man in front of him was the pinnacle of that class. In fact, Reinhard's name was legendary even in the slums; everyone knew he was an absolute "good man." As long as you did no evil, he posed no threat to you.
"I would," Reinhard said, helpless against Gojo's transparent intentions but nodding seriously nonetheless.
"Then it's no problem!" Gojo said easily. "We'll just treat it like we won the lottery and go on a vacation. Enjoy the scenery, taste the food, and then we'll have a massive fortune in our hands..."
In just a couple of sentences, Gojo had painted a grand vision for Subaru.
"By the way, Reinhard. When do we set off?!"