Taming a Munchkin

“Does it suit your taste?”

Sayre smiled as she asked Kynemeia, who was holding a mug on her hand.

Does it suit my taste? Kynemeia’s eyes narrowed.

“Isn’t this just milk?”

“Ah, do you want sugar?”

“No, forget it.”

“Lana! The Lady said she doesn’t need sugar!”

CLANK!

Kynemeia stared blankly at Lana, who threw away the sugar that she was carrying.

“My Lady, is it hot? Should I fan you?”

Lana asked, appearing suddenly with a fan on one hand, and Sayre proceeded to command her,

“Why would you ask that and trouble her? Until when are you going to stay passive, only doing what you’re told? Just fan her immediately.”

Kynemeia blinked faintly. The wind striking her felt like tickles.

“But what have you come to request in Behemoth, My Lady?”

“We specialize in producing—Oop!”

Sayre stifled Lana’s mouth and shook her head, then spoke somberly,

“We can even find a cat.”

Lana yanked down Sayre’s hand and nodded.

“We’re experts at finding cats.”

“Whenever this girl cries out, cats would clamour and come over at once.”

“Whenever this girl passes by, cats would go berserk and come over at once.”

Kynemeia was moved to tears, looking at the two sisters who looked like they would gladly kneel down if ordered to.

… So they’re this hungry.

“There’s no cat…”

She’d only begun speaking, but Lana promptly corrected her words.

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“Then, we can catch dogs too.”

Sayre elbowed Lana and amended her statement.

“We can ‘find’ dogs.”

Grinning, Lana pointed at Sayre.

“She can ‘gather’ dogs well as well.”

Nudge, nudge, as the two elbowed the other, they started to curse at each other with their eyes.

“Those women are crazy I think.”

Eian, who had been watching it all, whispered loudly to Kynemeia.

“They can hear you…”

She replied quietly and rapped on his shoulder a couple of times.

‘Even if they look like that, those big sisters are extremely capable people who will strike gold and rake in money in the future.’

Kynemeia’s gaze shifted to look at Sayre and Lana individually before she opened her mouth,

“Lyonne would like to invest in Behemoth.”

“In… vest?”

Sayre stammered at the words she’d never expected to hear.

“The investment won’t be a meagre amount. In exchange, Lyonne would like an exclusive contract with Behemoth. We’d like you to run it as Lyonne’s affiliated guild.”

SLURP, Kynemeia sipped on the milk after her speech and observed them. Lana’s head was bowed, her waist bent and her arms folded, while Sayre had her hands clasped above her abdomen.

‘They’re being defensive.’

They were most likely deciding on the credibility of the proposal, and to what extent it extended to. Bringing up an investment out of nowhere would lead anyone to wonder whether this was a scam making use of kids as their front.

“It’s too… sudden of an offer.”

Just as Kynemeia had predicted, Sayre was mincing her words in a wary manner.

“We don’t know if we can meet your expecta—”

“You might know already, but my mother was the hero Irea Lyonne.”

“Ah…!”

“Ah!”

Twin exclamations echoed from Sayre and Lana. Being citizens of the Empire, even if they had no idea Irea Lyonne was her mother, there was no way they wouldn’t have known about the hero herself.

“Mother’s hobby was to purchase and collect swords from far-flung places to discover master craftsmen, and a sword that you guys fashioned also made its way into the Grand Duke’s castle. That sword performed very satisfactorily at the time.”

She wasn’t lying just to win over the Behemoth. Irea Lyonne did exert herself to discover obscure newcomers and a sword of the Behemoth was indeed among the collection.

“Though I naturally have the intention to discover hidden master craftsmen as well, I have another purpose in mind.”

Kynemeia held up the mug to blow on it before she glanced up.

“I want to forge a sword that can fight monsters.”

“Monsters?”

“Please tell us more.”

Unlike Lana whose head simply tilted at an angle, Sayre revealed some interest as if she’d discerned something.

“You’ve heard how dungeons have been increasing and numerous new high-ranking monsters have sprung up recently, right?”

“Ah, yes. At times, they show up in this rural area as well.”

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but poison runs in the blood of these high-ranking monsters. The problem is that the poison melts iron so new swords need to be purchased continuously.”

“Ah, I see.”

Sayre nodded.

“That’s why I want to produce a sword that can withstand these monsters’ poison. A sword fashioned from the refined bones of monsters.”

“From bones?”

“Monsters’… bones?”

“Yeah. I know ordinary blacksmiths can’t refine monsters’ bones, but you guys can exercise Aura despite being blacksmiths.”

“How did you…”

“My mom told me that sword had been refined via Aura.”

“That…”

Sayre trailed off. At her side, Lana was leaning forward towards Kynemeia, her arms resting on the table as if she was transfixed.

They’re biting, they’re biting. Kynemeia grinned.

“The contract terms won’t be bad. We’ll set out to procure all the equipment and materials the guild requires immediately… Huh?”

Kynemeia had been feeling them out for a moment when her eyes widened at a sudden touch. Someone was carrying her in their arms and her feet were dangling in the air.

“Eh?”

It was Eian. He had been sitting to one side, looking for all the world as if he didn’t give a toss about the ongoing conversation when he rose to his feet abruptly, lifted her and set down a flustered Kynemeia beside him.

‘What? What? What is it suddenly?’ She stared at him, questioning the sudden relocation.

“…?”

However, Eian just sat back down and crossed his legs with a calm and collected face. Across them, the Behemoth’s gazes went back and forth as they tried to read the children’s expressions.

“… Sooooo…”

Kynemeia trailed off. ‘What was I talking about again?’

“Uh… Uhm…”

She was so bewildered she ended up forgetting the last thing she’d been talking about earlier. Her eyes were trembling, and her mouth opened and closed while both of her hands clenched and unclenched, but Eian suddenly frowned as if he couldn’t stand it anymore.

“It’s been bothering me, but is that to you guys’ tastes?”

“What are you saying?”

Lana returned with a quizzical look, which made him point to the windows.

“Ugh!”

The only thing visible through the curtain was the shadow of a strange man whose shoulders flinched in surprise. As the three ladies’ gazes trained collectively on the window, they heard the man running away.

‘Did he switch my position because of that?’ Kynemeia’s face scrunched up. Lana hoisted her hammer as if she had a hunch of what just transpired.

“That son of a bitch, again…!”

They couldn’t stop her in time before she ran off at full tilt, which prompted Sayre to stand up and yell,

“Lana!”

Sensing that something was afoot, Kynemeia shot a glance at Eian.

Only

“Eian.”

He nodded and chased after Lana.

“I apologize, My Lady. Please wait here for a moment…”

Sayre, keeping her wits about her still, was asking for Kynemeia’s understanding as she was about to follow after them, but the latter held her back.

“Is it that thing?”

“Pardon?”

“Will it be fine as long as that thing’s taken care of?”

As Sayre stood there with a dumbfounded look, Kynemeia grinned.