Mushoku Tensei: The Fool Magician

When it came to the behavior of nobles, Roy needed no reminders. If people dared plot against the Greyrat family—one of the most powerful houses in the kingdom—then what chance did an unconnected silver-haired girl have?

The question was: should he turn her in to the guild or subtly warn her instead?

Lost in thought, Roy watched as the silver-haired girl, clearly pleased with herself, weighed the copper coins in her hands. Her gaze swept over the gathered crowd, and she barked out, "What are you all staring at? Do you want to hand over some money too?"

The crowd's frustration was palpable, yet they held their tongues. Her smirk deepened at their silence. "Don't forget whose turf this is! I've got my Nii-san backing me up!"

Roy nodded in understanding. Ah, so there's a Nii-san in the picture. A group operation, no wonder she's so bold.

Of course, what Roy didn't know was that her so-called Nii-san was actually her foster father—a man she stubbornly refused to call "Dad."

An amusing little brat, Roy thought. She seemed completely unaware that she'd likely made a slew of enemies already.

Chuckling to himself, Roy decided to leave. Despite her charm, the bandit-like attitude was too strong—she reminded him of Eris, only more cunning and troublesome.

But just as he turned to go, a sharp, childish voice rang out behind him.

"Hey, new guy over there! Do you even know whose territory this is?"

Roy stopped mid-step and turned, his expression unreadable as he looked at the little silver-haired girl.

How am I supposed to respond to that?

He fell into thought, briefly entertaining the idea of tying her up and handing her over for the 100 copper coin bounty. After all, she had come right to him. Wouldn't it be rude to decline such a convenient offer?

The silver-haired girl scowled at him, her crimson eyes full of indignation. "Hey, you! Are you deaf? Didn't you hear me? New guy! Anyone coming here has to pay a protection fee!"

Roy sighed inwardly. It wasn't like he had anything better to do, and this brat was too amusing to ignore. Deciding to humor her, he put on a bright, handsome smile and walked over.

Seeing his cooperative demeanor, the girl nodded in satisfaction. She turned to the two dejected young men beside her and sneered, "See? This is what it means to be sensible. Unlike you losers!"

The burly man clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked, but before he could do anything, the girl smirked and kicked him square in the chest, sending him sprawling. She taunted, "What's that? You want to try something?"

The man said nothing, lying on the ground and staring up at the sky. His eyes glistened with tears of regret.

Roy was genuinely impressed by her audacity. No wonder someone had filed a request with the adventurer's guild. Her behavior could only be described as brazen.

The silver-haired girl gave a cold snort and turned her gaze to Roy, her sharp eyes scanning his attire as if assessing how much she could extort. Judging by his well-dressed appearance, she figured he must be some noble's son from the inner city—a potential goldmine.

With an arched brow, she sneered, "Alright, you. How much money do you have? Let me make this clear: if you don't have enough, or if the amount doesn't meet my expectations, I might just sell the clothes off your back. So think carefully before you answer."

Roy suppressed a laugh and fixed her with a dark, ominous stare. "I don't have a single coin on me."

Her smug expression froze, replaced by a growing anger. Her crimson eyes flared, and she growled, "You're serious? Not even a little?"

She raised her small fists, waving them menacingly. Surprisingly, her aura was quite intimidating, despite her size.

Roy and the girl locked eyes in silence, tension filling the air.

Time seemed to stop until the girl's face darkened further. She exhaled sharply, as if lamenting the unfairness of life, then declared, "You're asking for it!"

She charged at him, her small fists glowing faintly with battle aura. Her strikes carried surprising force—roughly 1.5 times that of Eris's, or about seven Ludii worth of power.

Roy could feel the strength in her attacks, and it was clear she had a natural talent for wielding aura. For someone her age, the ability to manifest it at all was impressive.

Still, as her fist connected with his body, it was as if she'd hit solid steel.

The girl froze, realization dawning in her crimson eyes. She had picked a fight she couldn't win.

With an awkward cough, she turned away, her demeanor shifting to feigned nonchalance. "Hmph. Fine. I'll let you off this time. Consider it your lucky day, thanks to my generous heart."

Just by the slight tremble in her small frame, it was clear—she was scared.

Roy grabbed her right shoulder firmly, his expression cold as he asked, "Leaving already?"

The silver-haired girl's lips twitched. She turned back with a strained smile and stammered, "Uh... my apologies for being so blind and disturbing your peace. Ahem, I'll be taking my leave now."

Roy raised an eyebrow. For some reason, her awkward demeanor reminded him of a certain someone named Rudeus.

He pulled her closer, taking out the quest notice from his pouch. His expression remained unreadable as he asked, "Can you read?"

The girl hesitated before replying dryly, "A little... but not much."

Roy smiled, though the chilling undertone of that smile sent shivers down her spine.

He handed her the notice, pointing to a particular line of text. "Do you know what this says?"

The girl glanced at it, focusing on the numbers. After a moment, she ventured, "A hundred?"

Roy nodded slightly. "A hundred what?"

Her expression shifted, the realization dawning on her. Angrily, she barked, "A hundred silver coins? Don't tell me this says you're supposed to capture me for a hundred silver coins!"

Roy's smile faded, his gaze fixed on her in silence.

Scratching her head, she muttered uncertainly, "It's not a hundred silver coins? Then… could it be—?"

Her face suddenly contorted in horror, as if she had stumbled upon an unbearable truth.

Roy sighed, unable to believe her self-absorption. He flicked her forehead, earning a surprised yelp. "No, it's a hundred copper coins," he corrected flatly. "And I'm guessing you've got three more people working with you. This bounty is for the four of you, collectively."

The girl blinked, disbelief etched across her face. "A hundred copper coins for four people? Who has the nerve to underestimate me like that—"

Before she could finish, Roy silenced her with a sharp glare.

"Now," he said firmly, "I assume you understand the situation?"

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

***

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