— Just leave me alone already! I'm telling you for the twelfth time: I went away on business. My own personal business. And it concerns no one else.
— Fine then, but why didn't you come back by the start of the school term?
This happened during the vacation, by the way. And I had managed to miss the first two days of classes.
What a nosy type! What did he even want? Though, on the other hand, that part was obvious enough: he wanted to know where I had been. The only problem was, I didn't need that.
— I'm telling you for the seventh time, Akeno-san: I got sick. I spent three days down with a fever, and as soon as I could, I came back.
Meanwhile Kagami was bustling around in the kitchen, not interfering in the "men's" conversation. All she had done when she got a good look at me in the entryway was give me a stern look, touch my forehead, and go to the kitchen without a word. Apparently my forced starvation and generally awful appearance had not escaped her notice. And now, after half an hour of interrogation, I was catching amazing smells from the kitchen.
— And who took care of you all that time?
— The people I went to visit.
— And who, exactly, did you go to visit? — Shina's father made another pass.
Oh, how badly I wanted to make a snide remark.
— That is my personal business, and I have no intention of involving anyone in it.
Akeno stared at me sternly. He drew in a breath to continue the interrogation, but after holding it for a moment, let it out and said:
— Fine. We'll leave it for now. Otherwise you're going to drown in your own drool. Kagami, what about lunch? — he asked, raising his voice.
So, I'd fought him off. And, by the way, the elder Koyamas never returned to that subject again, apparently deciding that even a little brat like me could have his own secrets.
But if you think the story ended there, you're deeply mistaken. Oddly enough, it was only just beginning.
At the end of the week, after eating my fill, catching up on sleep, showing my face at school, and calming down the Koyama family, I went to deliver the documents. And when I got paid and was already about to leave, the intermediary stopped me.
— Wait, Dwarf, I've got something for you. — The plump, gray, forgettable shopkeeper looked at me slyly.
To that I wrote in my notebook: "Any business in a month. No earlier."
— That's for you to decide. Actually, this is about something else. — That got my attention, and I nodded for him to continue. — Just yesterday, our guild was contacted and asked to arrange a meeting with you.
"With me?"
— Not with you personally, but with the one who stole the documents.
Persistent woman! I was sure it was Akemi, so I shook my head no and turned to leave. Who does she take me for, an idiot?
— Wait, Dwarf! — the intermediary said, a little louder.
What now? Fine, damn you, I'll hear you out, I thought, and turned back, signaling the fat man to continue.
— Understand, Dwarf, this meeting will take place under the patronage of the intermediaries' guild. Absolutely nothing will happen to you. You'll come, listen to what they have to say, and leave. Maybe they'll offer you something profitable. Or maybe you'll settle your problems without bloodshed.
Under the guild's protection, huh? Maybe that's a way out. I really don't feel like living while constantly looking over my shoulder.
And I wrote in my notebook: "Where and when?"