Adventurer of Many Professions

Raymond's voice, calm and unhurried, cut through the air with a gravity that sent a shiver down Mrs. Becker's spine.

"Now, Mrs. Becker," he said, his tone laced with dark amusement, "let's discuss the compensation for your slander and attempts to frame an awakened person."

His words struck her like a thunderclap. Mrs. Becker's face paled, her voice trembling as she stammered, "R-Raymond, I don't know what you mean! I… I never slandered or framed you! Please, stop making these wild accusations!"

But even as she spoke, her hands shook, and the fat on her cheeks quivered with barely contained terror. Everyone in the kingdom knew it was a grave crime to falsely accuse an awakened person. She struggled to hold her composure, yet her body betrayed her.

Raymond's steady gaze didn't waver as he continued, "Whether you admit it or not, you know the truth, Mrs. Becker." He stepped closer, and she instinctively took a step back, her eyes darting anywhere but at him. "Last night, I came to you and told you exactly what happened. And yet, instead of going to the local guards, you summoned the Knights and demanded they arrest me without question. You silenced my attempts to explain. Now tell me, Mrs. Becker, if the Knights were to hear about this, do you think they'd believe your side of the story?"

With each sentence, Mrs. Becker's face grew paler, her eyes widening as the full weight of his words sank in. Her breathing became shallow, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. Then, Raymond's lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Oh, Mrs. Becker," he murmured, his voice soft but chilling, "are you *sure* you had no intention of slandering me?"

That final question shattered what little composure she had left. "No!" she cried, her voice cracking. "Raymond, please, stop! Don't say anything more!"

Raymond watched her with a quiet satisfaction, the corners of his mouth twitching as he saw her crumble. He had expected as much; Mrs. Becker had acted out of fear and greed, and now those very impulses were leading her to unravel before him.

The idea of using her own guilt against her had come to him from his friend Freya, who'd remarked that Mrs. Becker's behavior might not meet the full definition of framing, but it was close enough. Freya had even offered to bring in the Knights on his behalf, hinting that they would gladly interrogate Mrs. Becker to determine her intentions. She had looked all too eager for the confrontation, but Raymond had chosen another route.

Freya's plan was tempting, but Raymond had seen a better opportunity: why report Mrs. Becker and risk her escape when he could use her guilt to demand compensation? After all, he needed gold far more than he needed revenge. And right now, Mrs. Becker was desperate to settle things quietly.

She seemed to realize the same, for her expression changed as she took a shaky breath, steeling herself. "Very well, Raymond," she said, her voice strained but steady. "How much are you looking for in compensation?"

Raymond raised a single finger, holding it up with a calm yet challenging look in his eyes.

"One gold coin?" she guessed, her voice hopeful.

He shook his head slowly, keeping his gaze fixed on her.

"Ten gold coins?" she tried again, her voice barely above a whisper.

Raymond let the silence stretch, then finally replied, "One hundred gold coins."

Mrs. Becker's eyes flew wide, and she practically shrieked, "One hundred gold coins? Have you lost your mind? That's robbery!"

Behind him, Arya gasped, her face mirroring Mrs. Becker's shock. A hundred gold coins was a small fortune, enough to buy a comfortable home or a year's worth of provisions for a family. Mrs. Becker's entire hotel had only fetched two hundred and fifty gold coins.

Mrs. Becker's fists clenched as she spat, "Then go to the Knights! Have them arrest me if you're so determined to ruin me over this absurd demand!" Her voice was filled with defiance, but her eyes betrayed a glint of panic.

She instantly regretted her words. The reality of being imprisoned or worse sank in, and her bravado faltered. "Listen," she said quickly, her tone shifting to one of pleading. "It's not that I don't want to settle this, but a hundred gold coins? That's impossible. I can't give you more than thirty… twenty at most!"

She put on a look of exaggerated pain, as if the very thought of parting with the gold caused her physical distress.

Raymond, however, merely looked at the small pouch of gold coins on the table and gave a dismissive chuckle. "Mrs. Becker, I see you're curious as to how I managed to return so quickly." He leaned in closer, watching her squirm. "It's simple: the Knights released me because I wasn't guilty. In fact, they believed *I* was the one being set up. Seth and the others? Let's just say they'll be answering for their actions for quite a while."

Mrs. Becker's face crumpled, her mind racing as she processed his words. She could see the web closing around her, and fear coursed through her anew.

Raymond paused, casting a calculated look at Mrs. Becker, noting the way her throat bobbed as she swallowed nervously. He leaned in, his voice low and measured. "I heard Seth and the others have been sent to the mines. Rough place, those mines; landslides, monster attacks, accidents almost daily. People don't always make it out." He let the silence sink in, then added with a faint, mocking smile, "But who knows? Maybe they'll be lucky enough to survive their sentence."

Mrs. Becker's face paled, but she quickly puffed herself up, hands on her hips. "Thirty gold coins!" she shot back, her voice shaking slightly but trying to sound firm. "I've dealt with worse threats than this, Raymond. You're not scaring me."

"Is that so?" Raymond turned to Arya with a casual shrug. "Come on, Arya. Let's find another place to stay tonight."

"Wait! Don't go!" Mrs. Becker reached out, her confidence crumbling. She gritted her teeth, her voice dropping to a desperate plea. "Fine; forty gold coins!"

Raymond barely paused. "Sounds like we'll be looking for a nice inn, Arya. One with comfortable beds."

Mrs. Becker's hands shook as she called out, "Fifty… no, fifty-five! That's my final offer!"

At that, Mrs. Becker collapsed onto the chair, her thick frame settling heavily into the worn upholstery. She crossed her arms and glared at him, trying to muster what remained of her defiance. "Fifty-five gold coins," she said, her tone pained but final. "Take it or go to the Knights. I don't care. I'll sit here and wait for them."

Raymond studied her, recognizing that this was the furthest she could be pushed. Fifty-five gold coins was more than he'd hoped for, and he wasn't about to test her patience any further.

"All right, fifty-five it is. Let's settle it now," he said, feigning reluctance.

Mrs. Becker instructed Will to write up a formal settlement agreement, her eyes narrowing as she watched every pen stroke, making sure there would be no loopholes. Both she and Raymond signed, the agreement now serving as her shield against any future claims. She tucked it away carefully, a thin layer of relief settling over her expression.

"Good," she said, placing the signed document into a drawer. "Now we're done. And don't think of coming back here for anything, or I'll hand this over to the Knights myself."

Raymond inclined his head slightly. "Of course, Mrs. Becker. I always keep my word. Come on, Arya, let's go pack."

He led Arya upstairs, gathering their few belongings. As they left the hotel, Arya seemed dazed, glancing back at the building. She looked up at Raymond with wide eyes, her voice incredulous. "Did she really just give you fifty-five gold coins?"

Raymond chuckled, reaching into his pocket and handing her the small, heavy pouch. Arya weighed it in her hands, marveling at the feel of real gold. She blinked up at him. "Raymond! You just tossed this bag of coins!"

Raymond laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I guess I got a little too used to seeing it as weight. But I'll be careful with it now!"

Arya placed the bag back into his hands with a stern expression. "Keep it safe, Raymond. Don't let anyone see it. Fifty-five gold coins is enough for us to live comfortably for a while if we're careful." She paused, considering their situation. "So, what do you want to do next?"

Raymond slipped the purse securely into his belt, grinning. "First, let's find a place to settle down."

"A hotel?"

He shook his head, his eyes bright with excitement. "Nope. Let's go to the Housing Chamber… and buy a house for us."

Arya's face lit up with surprise and delight, and together, they turned their backs on the Becker Hotel, ready to start a new chapter in their lives.