*

　Kane stood near the pier and narrowed his eyes.
　A ship was anchored to the pier.
　The ship's sails from Kane's memory are square, but the ship's sails are triangular.
　Am I remembering it wrong?　Kane tilted his head.
　But Kane quickly concluded that it wasn't worth bothering with.
　If it bothered him, it was just the beginning.
　Kane carefully watched the head of the mercenary guild, Sif, standing on the deck, watching his movements.
　Kane reached for the hilt of his sword.
　Earlier, Kane dared Sif to say that he was ready to cut his head off rather than be a liability to Crono, but there was a difference between choosing death from himself and being slashed without resistance.
　Well, it's not like he's going to slash me at this time.
　Sif has visited the Marquis' mansion many times and has been in dialogue with Crono.
　Considering the work that Sif had to do, the dialogue with Crono must have been quite a burden.
　Even so, Sif did not have a substitute.
　That's how important Sif considers this job to be.

''Oh, are you nervous?''
A little bit, yeah.

　Kane glared at Elaine, who was standing next to him before he knew it.
　Today Elaine is dressed in a very revealing outfit.
　Elaine is wearing a dress........or is it a dress?
　No, no, I can't get rid of the line that it's a cloth.
　First of all, there are no sleeves.
　Two strands of cloth stretching from her back hide her ample breasts.
　The cloth is so close to the body that even if someone were standing diagonally behind you, you would not be able to see them.
　The length of the skirt is also short.
　If it's this short, the skirt part is not even necessary.
　Once Kane had finished greeting Sif, he decided to climb the stairs before Elaine and head back to the deputy's office.

'But then again, can't you get a handle on those onlookers?
You can't.

　Kane looked around in disgust.
　A large crowd of onlookers surrounded one corner of the harbor.
　Some of them seemed to be looking at Elaine instead of Sif and the mercenaries, though.
　Well, it's not hard to see why they're looking at Elaine.
　Elaine is an attractive woman.
　She is refined in her behavior, even if it's just one thing she does.
　You will be able to find a lot of people who have a lot of experience in this field.

"Are you attracted to it?
That's why you're here, man.

　Kane replied flatly to Elaine, who asked mischievously.

'I was the bridge between her and Sif, and that ship... well, it's a 'union' ship that I run, in case you were wondering.

　I think Crono said that Elaine had introduced him to Sif, but after all, that was months ago.

'Why are you next to me?'
It's just to show you how close I am to you. It's obvious.

　Kane exhaled through his nose and looked behind him over his shoulder.
　A shoddy desk was placed somewhat away from him.
　This is where Westa checks the mercenary's name and Rona is supposed to hand over the permit issued by Crono.
　Westa noticed Kane's gaze and gave a sly smile.
　Rona's eyebrows knit together in annoyance and she tensed up.
　Kane reflexively looked at the ship and saw that Sif was about to get off the ship.
　About twenty men followed Sif.
　It's no wonder that Rona is making her body tense up.
　
　
　If these hundred or so don't cause any problems, we'll add another hundred, and if they don't cause any problems for a certain period of time, we'll give them permission to call their relatives.
　Why are there kids in the mix?　And Kane spotted a child among the strong men and tilted his head.
　He must be about fifteen in age.
　His brown hair was shaggy, perhaps from the boat trip, or maybe he hadn't intended to get it right from the start.
　His skin is dark and sallow.
　His body is well-trained.
　But the lines are thin.
　It wouldn't be suitable for head-to-head combat.
　
　Sif stopped his steps at a distance where Kane's attack may or may not reach him.

''Well what should I do?''
It's like you're referring to a list of names and IDs you've been given and then handing in your permit.

　It wouldn't be inadequate to inquire about the list of names and IDs prepared by the mercenary guild, Kane felt, but he didn't say it.

'How useful is that permit?'
It's a lot more useful than a tattoo to ward off evil. After all, it's signed by Brad Hamal, too.

　The Viscount Hamal family is a noble family with a good history, and the head of the family, Brad, is the head of the Fifth Order of the Kingsguard.
　The other nobles should be able to respond accordingly when they see Brad's signature.

''Well, let's get the formalities done quickly.
Okay.

　Kane stood next to Westa and watched the proceedings.
　He was worried that there would be trouble, but his fears were unfounded.
　In the meantime, the child's turn came.
　
　Quanto's eyes were not friendly.
　If I had to put it another way, it's similar to the way Elena looks at Kane.
　It's not unreasonable, Kane thought.
　Kane is a traitor to the Mercenary Guild.
　As Kane was thinking about this, a pain shot through his leg.
　Quanto had stepped on Kane's foot.
　No, I should say, he stepped on it.
　Quanto had a smile on his face.
　It wasn't a big smile either, but a dark one.
　Kane let out a sigh and raised his arms.
　Quanto reared back and slammed into the man behind him.
　Kane scratched his neck, and Quanto turned over, his face red.
　Quanto took the permission slip from Rona and ran towards the city.

'You're good with kids, aren't you?'
I just scratched my neck.

　Elaine let out a chuckle and a sneaky laugh.

*

　Kane has finished his day's work and stands in front of his communication magic item.
　Well, even though he has finished his day's work, Kane hasn't done much of anything.
　The only thing Kane did was to supervise Westa and Rona's work and patrol the city to see if there was any trouble.

'It's kind of ... jarring,'

　Kane finished his report to Crono and brought his cup to his mouth.

''You didn't have any trouble with the acceptance of the Mercenary Guild, did you?''
'Oh?　Yeah, no trouble, apparently.

　Kane tilted his head.
　He had just finished his report.
　Naturally, he also reported on the acceptance of the mercenary guild.
　Well, he didn't report about being stepped on by Quanto.

''Well, as long as there's no trouble, that's fine.''

　Crono sounded like he had an object stuck in his back teeth.
　Since he's going out of his way to point it out, Crono must have figured out that Kane had been stepped on by Quanto.
　Does that mean someone else was reporting it before I did?　And Kane thought of Elaine first, but given the time frame, it would be someone who worked at the deputy office.

'Kane, good job today.'
Yeah, good job.

　Kane covered the communication magic item with a thick cloth.
　Well, even if he covered it with a thick cloth, it couldn't completely block out the sound.

*

　The next day, Kane was poking his cheekbones upstairs in the deputy's office.
　It's a beautiful day.
　On a day like this, riding a horse down the street would be a refreshing change of pace.
　But Kane couldn't be absent from the magistrate's office.

'You're bored,'
You're not busy.
Yes.

　Kane muttered, and Westa and Rona agreed.
　At this point, Mary and Kate, who were working as a receptionist downstairs, would probably agree with them.
　The main job of the deputy's office is to witness the contracts between the mercenary guild and the merchants.
　Without contracts, there would be no work for the deputy's office.
　In the morning, Rona and Westa had been cleaning and killing time, but they felt like they had cleaned it all up.

''Well it would be nice if you could come and say hello at a time like this. The only thing I did today was clean up a dead rat's body, you know.

　Kane poked at his cheekbones.
　In the morning, when Kane woke up and looked around the deputies' office, he found a dead rat in the entrance of the deputies' office.

''Speaking of which, where do you mercenary guild members sleep?''
They're supposed to sleep in a guild-owned building.

　Kane answered Westa's question.
　The Mercenary Guild is based in Sylvania.
　Sif wouldn't have been able to use the connections the Mercenary Guild had cultivated so far, so he would have relied on Elaine.

''What........is the problem?''
Yeah, I don't see any trouble as far as I can see.

　Rona's eyes widened in surprise as Kane replied.

'Did Master Kane make his rounds last night?'
That's my nature.

　The hundred or so people accepted this time are the elite of the mercenary guild they are either Sif's children or, if not, they understand Sif's true intentions.
　They shouldn't cause any problems unless something bad happens.
　You can't afford not to be vigilant about it.
　They are an armed group of a hundred men.
　I'm not getting into any trouble, Kane added in his mind.
　He could feel their eyes on him as he was looking around the city.
　I hope it doesn't get messy, Kane said, looking up at the ceiling.



　Three days later, a memorable first job arrived at the deputies' office.
　The mercenaries were hired by the Peddlers' Guild.
　The Peddlers Guild hired ten mercenaries, and the contract price was reasonable for the amount of ten mercenaries, a small amount for hiring the elite of the mercenary guild.
　Kane made sure that the three contracts were in agreement and wrote his signature.
　One copy would be kept by the Mercenary Guild, the other by the Peddlers' Union, and the last one by the Substitute Office.
　This is a dimension that neither the Mercenary Guild nor the Peddlers Union can change the terms of the contract at will.
　Kane could do whatever he wanted if he colluded with either of them, but Kane had no intention of accommodating either of them.
　Kane has learned from his own experience that if the policeman is corrupt, the whole thing is ruined.

No problem.

　Kane said, and Sif and the head of the peddlers' union left the room.
　They reviewed the contract and handed it to Wester.

'Keep it in the vault. Don't lose it.'
I won't lose it.

　Wester's lips quirked up in a sulk, and he left the room.

'Isn't that too low a price to pay now?　Even if we were to hire the mercenary guild's elite, right?
It's an agreed-upon amount. It's not our business.

　Kane said to Rona, who looked dissatisfied.
　The reason why Rona could say it was cheap was because, like Kane, she knew the amount of money to hire the elite of the mercenary guild in the Free City State group.
　But, Kane thinks.
　Mercenaries are not considered regular business in the Cepheus Empire.
　The Mercenary Guild is contracted for a decent and profitable amount of money despite the fact that it is no wonder they are underfoot.
　That proves that the Mercenary Guild is not a group of combat idiots.

''........Whatever it is, it would be nice if they were a little busier. It's like we're counting on the bottom line of the mercenary guild.

　Kane crossed his arms behind his head and looked up at the ceiling.

*

　Kane walks the streets.
　Sylvania is a developing city.
　The only place where the ground is paved with cobblestones is near the harbor ... around the buildings of the five merchant associations and the peddlers' guild, the rest of the city is bare dirt.
　The streets are not sophisticated, but they are hot.
　It's not a booming economy like Herschel's, but a fervor as if the city itself has the will to grow.
　It is both clean and cloudy, chaotic and orderly.
　He loved the incomprehensible heat of Sylvania.
　Kane stopped in his tracks.
　He felt eyes on him again today.
　Should I ask him out?　Kane often thought about it.
　It didn't seem like there was any harm in leaving the owner of the gaze, but the dead rats were bothering him.
　The number of dead rats was increasing with each passing day.
　This morning, Kane cleaned up four dead rats this morning.
　I want to do something about it before it escalates to cats and dogs.
　Kane's feet naturally turned toward the less popular ones.
　A short walk and he would soon find himself in an unpopular clearing.
　Kane turned around in the clearing away from Sylvania and the deputy office... or maybe I should say the wasteland....

'Yo, nice day, huh?'
It's a good day for you to die.

　When Kane spoke to her, Quanto was also openly hostile.

"Why do I have to die?
You don't know what you're talking about, traitor!　You've been in the Guild's care, and you've rubbed mud in its face!　That sin must be paid for with death!

　Kane chuckled.

'What's so funny!'
'I don't know what you're feeling, Quanto. But, you know, my boss is talking to the victim's merchant, and Sif... seems to have a policy of meditating on what I've done, here.

　That's it," Quanto quipped.
　As I thought, it seems that this case is Quanto's sole decision.
　'I'd like to end this quietly somehow,' said Kane, looking at Quanto.

'Well, you feel a little better now that you've left a dead rat on the doorstep of the deputy's office, don't you?
.....

　Quanto glared at Kane with a devilish look on his face.

'Ugh, shut up!　Big mouth!　Draw your sword!　Game on!
I'm sorry, but I have no intention of drawing my sword.

　Quanto drew his sword and came at Kane.
　As it appeared, Quanto seemed to be able to move quite well.
　Quanto flashed his sword and Kane jumped backwards to duck the attack.
　Quanto got pissed off and swung his sword around, but each time he did so, Kane ducked the attack from a great distance.
　It's not a big deal, he thought as he dived.
　It's a good thing that you can move around for your age.
　That's just the way it is for his age.
　There are many mercenaries in the guild who are even better than Quanto.
　Kane didn't understand why Sif had bothered to bring Quanto with him.
　Could he neutralize them with physical techniques alone?　And Kane grabbed Quanto's wrist.
　Kane grabbed Quanto's arm so easily that it was anticlimactic.

'Let go!'
It's that easy....

　Kane's hand is played.
　No, Quanto played Kane's arm, not his hand.
　Quanto pulled away from Kane with a ridiculous leap of strength.

''.........The Marking Technique?''
Yes!

　Quanto proudly puffed out his chest.
　The black light colored Quanto's body like a barbarian's war makeup.
　Quanto's imprint was different from that of Crono and Suu.

''........And this is my power!
"Oh, come on, are you serious?

　Quanto's imprint shone so brightly that Kane's consciousness was consumed by darkness.

*

　You can see the fangs.
　I see claws.
　Eyes as dark as the abyss stare at Kane from the darkness.
　Fragmented memories explode.
　Claws tear at his body, fangs digging into his arms.
　The guy heard Kane's cries and narrowed his eyes in amusement.
　When Kane opened his eyes, he found Elaine staring at him with a worried look on her face.
　It wasn't just Elaine, but also Westa and Sif.

''........Shit, hell?''
There's no way in hell you can look someone in the face, is there?

　When Kane spat, Elaine's cheeks twitched as she spat.
　Even if this wasn't hell, she felt terrible.
　A terrible headache.
　Nausea.
　It was feverish, as if he had a bad quality cold, and his whole body creaked and ached.
　Kane looked around.
　Apparently he was in a room in the quarters.
　Perhaps someone had carried him in.

'Sif, what was that?　That kid, right in front of me....

　Kane shook his head.
　He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
　Anyone would.

'She's turned into a wolf!
Kane, you probably hit your head pretty hard.
Oh, come on, don't look at me like I'm looking at that poor kid.

　Kane gave a weak shove to Elaine, who gave him a pitying look.

'Sif, that was real, wasn't it?　What was that?
...the Marking technique.

　Sif said with a sigh.

'Really?　In case you're wondering, I've been looking into the imprinting technique too, I've never heard of it being able to turn into a wolf.

　When I say I researched it, I only read a book in the Marquis' mansion, but there was no mention of transformation in it.

''Not many in my clan have the power to transform into a wolf. It's a bloodline, an unusual ability that manifests itself extremely rarely within a certain bloodline.
But why is it a wolf?
"Our family lore states that the spirits are in high places, and when they interfere with the human world, they take on the form of creatures from this world to manifest themselves.

　The reason Sif didn't assert it was because he didn't believe the family lore.

'So you're a wolf?'
'Oh, whoever expresses this ability gains the power of a transformed creature.
Does this mean you have the smell and hearing of a wolf?
That is true. If the lore is correct.

　Kane gritted his teeth and sat up.

'Don't move!'
Yeah, we'll take care of the rest.
What do you mean?

　Sif let out a sigh.
　'Why do you ask something so obvious,' he said.

''According to the guild's rules, I will dispose of Quanto. Of course, I will pay for his treatment and fees. I hope you can put this matter behind you.

　Not bad, Kane calculated calmly.
　Getting rid of Quanto would also serve as a warning to the other mercenaries.
　Kane would be able to clean up the mess without getting his hands dirty, plus he'd get his medical bills and fees.

'Do you agree?'
...f*ck off, you piece of shit.

　Kane spat and got off the bed.

'Kane, you're not just a mercenary captain anymore, are you?
I know. I'm a deputy. But, you know, I'm not someone who's made up for it by letting the kids do me a favor and keeping my mouth shut.
Wait, this isn't just about you.

　Sif blocked Kane's path.
　No wonder he's upset.
　He is trying to get things under control, even if it means killing his own men.

'You're the one who needs to back off. This is between me and Quanto. Now, get out of the way.

　Kane pushed Sif away and reached for the door.

*

　As Kane entered the dining room and tavern, the men - mainly the mercenaries - looked at Kane.
　Quanto was among them.
　Kane tried his best to appear frivolous and approached Quanto.
　Quanto stared at Kane with contemptuous eyes.
　To Quanto now, Kane was a hapless loser.
　Maybe Quanto is sure of his next victory, too.

''Oh come on, don't look at me so scared. 'No, I feel bad about my time as a mercenary, you know. That's why I've come to apologize. I don't want to be hurt twice or three times, either. Hey, sis. A drink for them and a glass of milk for the kids.

　When Kane wound up, the mercenaries released their stance in relief.
　The woman who served them quickly brought drinks and milk to the counter.

'I'll take care of it, you just do your job.

　Kane took it from the serving girl and handed each mercenary a drink.

'I'm sorry,'
....

　Quanto was silent, but he was smiling with a proud smile.
　The next moment, the tavern was in an uproar.
　Because Kane flipped his cup over Quanto's head and showered him with milk.

What are you doing?
Of course I'm here to pick a fight, you little shit!

　Kane said back to the milk-soaked Quanto.

'This time, I'm going to kill you!　Get out there!
'Oh?　You're an idiot. If we had a run-in right there, we'd be in trouble with all those people who were in the mood to hook you up with a drink. Follow me.

　Kane shuffled his chin and Quanto stood up.

'You can bring your friends along if you miss them, okay?
Who?

　When Kane left the tavern, he headed for the port.
　It wasn't because he thought the port at this time of day would not bother anyone.
　Kane stopped at a suitable spot and turned to Quanto.
　Perhaps it was because he had walked a bit, but Quanto seemed to have regained his composure.

'Come on, draw your sword!
The kid doesn't need a sword. I'll have this one.

　Kane clenched his fist and thrust it at Quanto.

'You use the imprinting technique yourself. Well, you won't win this time, even if you use the imprinting technique.
I'll cut you to pieces as you wish!

　Quanto howled to the heavens.
　Jet-black light colored Quanto's body like a barbarian's war makeup.
　The jet-black light flickered irregularly and emitted a strong light.
　In the next moment, jet-black light erupted from the imprint and covered Quanto's body.
　Quanto completed his transformation and turned into a wolf with jet-black fur.
　Kane had no idea what kind of logic was behind the transformation.

''Let's go........!

　Quanto opened his big mouth and attacked Kane.
　Kane rolled on the ground and ducked Quanto's mouthpiece.
　Quanto flipped as soon as he landed and attacked Kane again.
　Kane thought he ducked with plenty of time to spare, but pain shot through his shoulder.
　When Kane touched his shoulder, blood wet his fingertips.

''What's wrong?　Can't you resist?　If you apologize for crying, I can forgive you, okay?'
'Oh, come on, you just made him bleed a little and you're declaring victory. I'm about to start fighting back.
Then don't die!

　Shit, did I piss you off too much?　And Kane regretted it a bit.
　Quanto's speed completely exceeded Kane's ability.
　Kane could only follow it with his eyes.

'Why?　Why can't you kill me!

　Quanto stopped moving and yelled in frustration.
　Kane wiped his chin with the back of his hand.
　Blood was sticky on the back of his hand.
　It's easy to see why Kane is able to outrun Quanto's attacks.
　Quanto's movements are too linear.

"You're not much for a big mouth. Oh, is that what I think it is?　Actually, the power of spirits isn't much of a stretch, is it?　You said you'd get the power of the wolf, but the wolf is stronger than you.
"Shut the f*ck up!

　Quanto jumped at Kane.
　Kane hung up the edge of his mouth and flicked his finger at the first trump card.
　It emitted an intense light at the tip of Quanto's nose.

''Gyaaaaaaah!''

　Quanto failed to land and made a pawing motion to scratch his face.
　Kane hit Quanto with a second trump card.
　The first trump card was a magic item that emitted a flash of light.
　The second trump card was a pepper wrapped in paper.

'Gehaha!　You, you coward!
Shut up!　There's no such thing as cowardice in a fight!

　Kane kept throwing a second trump card at Quanto, carefully shifting his position.
　Quanto looked at Kane.
　Kane took away Quanto's sense of sight and smell.
　But Quanto's hearing was still intact.
　To Kane, it looked like Quanto laughed.

'You're bypassing me!　I still have my ears!'
Shit!

　Quanto jumped at Kane.
　His aim was his neck.
　Kane reflexively shielded his neck with his arm.
　Quanto's fangs dug into his arm.

'Hahaha!　How about that!　My ears have got you!　Even if you're blind or nose-deaf, you're not the enemy!'
Really?　Then I'll explain it to you, just in case.

　Kane hugged Quanto with all his strength.
　How in the world can you make a sound when you're biting into my arms?　And while Kane was thinking.

The ocean is behind you. Hey, how good a swimmer are you?


　Kane hugged Quanto and jumped into the water.



　I should have thought of that after I jumped into the ocean, Kane said, dragging Quanto along with him to the deputy's office.
　Passersby turned to look at him, but Kane ignored them.
　Sif and Westa were standing in front of the deputies' office.
　Westa rushed over to Kane, awkwardly panicking.

'Mr. Kane, you're hurt!
It's not that bad.

　Kane reached out to pat Westa's head, but realized his hand was wet and scratched his own head.

'Yo, we won,'
I don't expect you to lose. Neither do I, and neither does Elaine.

　Sif said with a mortified look on his face.

'Is it a sign of trust not to greet me?'
That woman (Elaine) left because she was tired of you.
Oh, yeah?

　Kane removed his hand from Quanto's.
　There was a thump.
　The impact must have been well deserved, but Quanto remained unconscious.

'Take him home quickly.'
...Report?
I'm gonna say it again, because you don't seem to understand.

　Kane stared at Sif and said slowly.

'This whole thing is a fight between me and Quanto. So there's no need for Quanto to get rid of it, and I'm not going to report the stupid 'I got in a fight and I beat the kid up' thing.

　'You understand,' said Kane, poking Sif lightly in the chest with his fist.

'Is that your way?'
Yeah, that's what I do.

*

　The next morning, Kane woke up in physical pain.
　But he feels fine.
　Losing is not a hobby.
　There's a little more room.
　Well, not today..., Kane threw on his jacket and headed to the front door of the deputy's office.
　Quanto was sitting in the doorway of the deputy's office.

'What is this a joke?'
....

　Quanto doesn't answer.

'Hey, say something,'
I was...

　Quanto muttered something.

'I can't hear you,'
Your father disowned me because of you!

　Kane said, and Quanto exclaimed in a rage.

'What?'

　Kane looked at Quanto.
　Quanto didn't look like he was lying.

'Who's your father, father?'
It's Sif.
'Is that what a certain bloodline is? I mean, what's a disowned one, a disowned one?

　It doesn't make sense that Sif was going to kill his own child.
　No, even Kane can see that Sif is that serious.

'Of course I'm going to die in the wild if I let this kid go.
Oh, I'm a full-fledged warrior!
'Lie. You didn't have anyone to turn to, so you rolled up to me, didn't you?
...Ug.

　Quanto grunted.
　Even Quanto wouldn't think of relying on the person who tried to kill him twice if he had someone else to rely on, or if he had learned how to live on his own.

'Let's get inside, for now. After that you're going to be short-handed and you're going to have to work for the magistrate's office and figure out what to do with yourself.
I demand to be treated like a warrior.
Well, when you learn to do something other than fight.

　With that, Kane opened the door of the deputy's office.