After being held in Emma’s arms for a long time, I finally opened my eyes and rummaged through my pocket.
Emma, who had been holding me all this time, didn’t let go and asked, “What are you looking for?”
“…Cigarettes.”
I wasn’t a frequent smoker, but I had a habit of smoking one whenever I went through something big. Harsh cigarettes helped me forget my worries, even if just for a moment.
But just as I pulled out a cigarette and was about to look for a match, Emma grabbed my hand holding the cigarette.
“Boss, don’t smoke.”
“…Why?”
“It’s bad for your health.”
“…What? Pfft.”
In modern times, it’s common knowledge that cigarettes are harmful, but in this wild western era, the concept of cigarettes being harmful was almost nonexistent. In fact, many people believed cigarettes relieved fatigue and cleared the mind, making them beneficial. That’s why the smoking rate was so high among all ages and genders.
But Emma’s expression, telling me not to smoke, was quite firm. It made me laugh, and still in her arms, I asked her, “Cigarettes are harmful? Why? What’s your evidence?”
“People who smoke a lot have yellow teeth, always spit phlegm, and their physical abilities are significantly reduced. Their lips crack, their skin darkens…”
Emma seriously tried to persuade me with specific evidence.
“My late aunt smoked often, and in her final moments, she couldn’t breathe properly because of the phlegm in her throat. Mr. Paul from the grocery store also smoked since he was seven, and a few months ago, he started coughing and eventually passed away.”
“So, all that is because of cigarettes, and cigarettes are harmful?”
“Yes, people may think cigarettes are beneficial now, but soon they’ll realize how harmful they are.”
Emma was indeed smart.
I chuckled, and Emma took the cigarette from my fingers.
“I want you to live a long life, Boss. So, please stop smoking.”
“……”
As Emma said, cigarettes are harmful. I, coming from modern times, knew that well, but usually, I would have said, “Well, I’ll be leaving this world soon anyway,” and lit up.
But I was quite whimsical by nature. Persuaded by Emma, I decided not to smoke and put the rest of the cigarettes back in my pocket.
“…Alright, I’ll hold off today.”
“Not just today, but never smoke again.”
“I can’t promise that. Sometimes I really crave a cigarette.”
“You need to resist those temptations to be a proper adult.”
In this world, I’m always ‘Kid,’ but a proper adult? That made me laugh.
Clip-clop.
“…!”
My sensitive ears picked up the sound of horse hooves approaching.
“…They’re coming.”
“…Who’s coming?”
“Someone on horseback. Probably Sheriff Jet and his deputies.”
Sheriff Jet knew the Rush and Gold Gang raid was supposed to happen at dawn. But with the continuous gunfire, he must have realized something had gone wrong.
Looking at the gruesome scene of the Rush and Gold Gang camp, I couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward.
“…This is troublesome.”
“What is, Boss?”
“I think I went a bit overboard. The sheriff already doesn’t like me, and now I might be in trouble.”
The Rush and Gold Gang wasn’t officially a bounty-hunting target for outlaws. I might have gone too far in taking them down.
In the original <Outlaw Hunt> game, the protagonist also faced misunderstandings from the sheriff and had to pay bail after taking down the Rush and Gold Gang.
Sheriff Jet of Justice Town wasn’t particularly fond of me, so he might use this as an opportunity to pin something on me.
I started to worry about what might happen next, but…
“Boss, you’re worrying too much.”
“…What?”
Emma patted my head reassuringly and said, “Sheriff Jet is just bad at expressing emotions. He might grumble a lot, but he doesn’t dislike you.”
“…Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. When he arrives, he’ll probably comfort you for your hard work. Like this.”
Emma subtly patted me and stroked my head.
‘Look at this?’
Earlier, I was swept up in the moment and hugged her, but now she’s shamelessly fulfilling her own desires.
Annoyed, I pushed her hand away and stood up.
“Emma, just because I stay still, you keep trying to match me? Don’t forget. I’m the boss, and you’re the secretary.”
“Yes, I’m the secretary. Your eternal secretary.”
Emma smiled slyly.
“Even if you fire me in the future, I’ll always be your secretary.”
“……”
Emma’s sly smile made her look quite fox-like.
Usually, I was the one pulling these tricks on Emma for the past three years, but now the tables had turned, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered.
Clip-clop.
While I was flustered by Emma’s antics, the sound of horse hooves grew closer.
“Neigh!”
Sheriff Jet appeared at the Rush and Gold Gang camp with his deputies.
“Sheriff, haha. Good evening.”
“……”
Covered in blood, I awkwardly waved at Jet, but his face was filled with nothing but shock.
Jet had every reason to be shocked.
Dozens of gang members’ bodies were scattered on the ground, and a massive pool of blood had formed in the center of the camp. It looked like a scene from a devil-worshipping ritual.
Jet slowly took in the gruesome scene with a stern expression.
‘Oh, crap.’
Just by looking at Jet’s eyes, I could tell how confused he was.
Emma said it would be fine, but Jet was very strict and a stickler for rules.
I was sure he wouldn’t let this slide.
“…We just received a report and stopped by Mr. William’s house on the way.”
Oh, he went there first.
“We heard some stories from the black servant there, but it’s not clear. Can you explain the current situation?”
“Sheriff, well…”
I silently hoped the black servant had followed my instructions and began explaining to Jet.
After hearing my story, Jet’s expression became complicated.
“…So, the Rush and Gold Gang illegally broke into Mr. William’s house, killed him and his butler, and you witnessed it, saved the village girls, and avenged Mr. William by taking them down?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
The story I hastily concocted had many holes.
As Jet scrutinized the flimsy story, one of his deputies shouted, “Sheriff! The village girls who were captured are here!”
The girls we had mentioned were found in the warehouse.
“…Are they all safe?”
“Yes, all the girls taken from the village are accounted for!”
“Hmm…”
Hearing that the girls were safe, Jet still had a stern expression as he approached me.
Seeing Jet’s serious face, I expected the outcome wouldn’t be good.
In <Outlaw Hunt>, after clearing Chapter 4 [Liberation of Justice Town], you had to pay bail.
Jet would probably take me to the security office and make me pay bail when the circuit judge arrived.
But…
Tap.
“…?”
Contrary to my expectations, Jet placed a hand on my shoulder and said something unexpected.
“Noah.”
“…Yes?”
Jet, who always called me ‘Kid,’ suddenly called me ‘Noah.’
What’s going on…?
Even more surprising was his next words.
“We won’t forget the hard work you’ve done for the town.”
“……”
“These guys don’t have a bounty, so we can’t give you money, but if we find anything valuable here, we’ll reward you.”
Jet spoke to me respectfully and even promised a reward.
In the three years I’ve known Jet, this was the first time I’d seen him act this way. I was momentarily stunned as he bowed his head to me.
“We’ll handle the cleanup here. You and Emma can go back. You’ve done well.”
“…Ah, yes.”
As Jet bowed, I could see the top of his head.
This guy… I thought he only had a receding hairline, but he’s bald on top too.
Bald people tend to be strict.
Sheriff Jet was the strictest person in Justice Town, but…
At this moment, he was more lenient than anyone.
And so, tonight’s events were handled by the Justice Town security team…
Contrary to my expectations, it ended without any issues.
**
“Strange…”
“What is it, Boss?”
On the way back to the office with Emma on No Name’s back, I pondered Jet’s unusual behavior.
“The sheriff. I thought I’d be taken to the security office and have to pay bail when the circuit judge arrived, but he just let it go.”
Of course, I didn’t think Jet would pin all the blame on me.
But Jet had his position as sheriff to consider.
The moment I saw that devastating scene, I thought they would hold me somewhat responsible, but they just let it slide and even promised a reward.
It wasn’t the Jet I knew.
Above all…
Even the kind protagonist in the game ended up paying a bounty, so I couldn’t understand why I was let off so easily.
When I tilted my head in confusion, Emma, who was sitting in front of me, looked up and said, “I told you. Mr. Jet secretly likes the Boss.”
“I knew that to some extent, but that guy isn’t the type to let someone off because of personal feelings.”
There was a small love-hate relationship between Jet and me.
At first glance, it might seem like we didn’t get along, but the truth is, I didn’t dislike Jet that much, and Jet, despite grumbling, didn’t dislike me that much either.
But I thought Jet was someone who strictly separated work and personal matters?
“I heard that while the Boss was away in San Francisco, outlaws were causing trouble, and the Sheriff had a hard time.”
“Oh, I heard about that too.”
“This time, the Rush and Gold Gang caused a lot of trouble for the Sheriff, but the Boss handled it… So, I guess seeing the Boss again must have been a relief for various reasons.”
Hmm… If that’s the only reason, it doesn’t really make sense.
If it were something else, fine, but this was an official episode of <Outlaw Hunt>.
I thought it would follow the game’s programmed storyline…
“…I should’ve paid the bail. That’s how it was supposed to go…”
As I muttered to myself, Emma, sitting in front of me, chuckled and said, “Boss, nothing in life is set in stone.”
“No, Emma, this is something you don’t understand. According to the game’s episode, I was supposed to…”
Game, episode.
Maybe Emma was frustrated because I kept bringing up things she couldn’t understand.
Emma looked up at me again and asked, “Then, is it also predetermined that I fell for you?”
“…What?”
I was momentarily stunned by her sudden question, then smiled bitterly and replied, “…Yeah, I guess you could say it was predetermined that you fell for me.”
After all, I added the [Irresistible Charm] trait when I first customized my character.
That’s why Emma fell for me.
And…
‘I like you, Kid.’
I thought Jenny James fell for me because of that trait too.
But…
“…You’re overestimating yourself, Boss. You’re not *that* charming.”
“…Huh?”
Emma said it with such conviction, as if it were absolutely not true.
“You’re always teasing, joking around, never serious, lazy…”
“……”
“And your face… well…”
“My face? Oh, come on, you dare talk about my face?”
I customized Noah’s face, you know.
It’s not like it glows or anything, but Noah’s face was the most handsome among all the people I’ve met in the West over the past 17 years.
But Emma was firm this time too.
“It’s true that you’re handsome, Boss, but you have heavy dark circles and your eyes are too sharp. So…”
“So what?”
“You look rude.”
“…You’re the one being rude right now?”
At Emma’s sudden attack, I tilted my head, and only then did Emma smile brightly and say, “But now, I’ve come to like that about you very much.”
“……”
“People change.”
“…!”
“At first, I found you unlikable, but now you’re more lovable than anyone else. People change, and so do the ways of the world. Nothing is set in stone.”
People change.
It was something I said to Billy back in San Francisco.
Originally, the word ‘people’ was only meant for me…
But now, Emma is saying that even NPCs and game episodes can change.
At that moment, the exact setting of the [Irresistible Charm] trait came to mind.
[Irresistible Charm] increases a character’s likability and charm when they first meet other NPCs…
And the longer you spend time with companion NPCs, the more it boosts their loyalty.
Right… In the game, it was definitely called ‘loyalty’…
But the emotion Emma is showing me now isn’t ‘loyalty’—it’s ‘affection.’
And Emma said that at first, she found me unlikable, but gradually came to like me.
So, Emma didn’t fall for me because of the trait…
‘At first, I found you unlikable, but now you’re more lovable than anyone else. People change, and so do the ways of the world. Nothing is set in stone.’
Maybe she just came to like me as a person.
Maybe Jenny James too…
‘I like you, Kid.’
“……”
Both women were too good for me.
I naturally assumed they both liked me because of the trait…
But the thought that maybe that wasn’t the case left me momentarily dazed.
And what snapped me out of it was…
A hug.
“…!”
Emma’s hands cupping my cheeks.
The sudden cold touch made me jump…
“…Boss, we’ve arrived. Aren’t you getting off?”
“…Oh.”
Emma pointed to my office.
We had already arrived at the office, but I was so lost in thought that I didn’t even notice.
I got off the horse belatedly and remembered the money I had stacked in the office.
“…Emma, don’t come into the office for a bit. I’ll call you if I need you.”
“Why? Are you embarrassed to be alone with me?”
“…What?”
“Your face is as red as a tomato.”
“……”
“Just kidding.”
Normally, I would’ve been the one making such silly jokes, not Emma.
‘People change.’
Emma has changed.
I thought I had completely crushed her feelings when I coldly rejected her confession last time…
But instead, it seems to have spurred her on, and she’s become even bolder.
“…Emma, I’ll say it again. I’m the Boss, and you’re the secretary. Don’t make jokes like that with me again.”
“Okay, then I won’t joke around anymore.”
“…Good. I’m going into the office now, so you…”
“I like you, Boss.”
“……”
“That’s not a joke.”
Originally, Emma was a bear.
A bear who quietly did her work and rarely showed her emotions.
But now, she looks like a nine-tailed fox.
In contrast, I, who was originally sly, have become a bear.
“…You.”
“Last time, you said you had no intention of accepting my feelings. But as I keep saying, people change.”
“……”
“I’ll work hard to make you like me too, Boss.”
At her sudden attack, my mind went blank…
Thud.
Without answering her, I immediately went into the office.
Luckily, no one had come in, and the money was still there.
Seeing the money I love so much, my chaotic thoughts seemed to clear.
I tried to focus only on the money as I put it back into my inventory.
But…
‘I like you, Boss.’
Even while thinking about money, a part of me was still thinking about Emma.
“…This is dangerous.”
What’s most dangerous is that Emma has declared a counterattack.
‘I’ll work hard to make you like me too, Boss.’
From now on, I’ll have to focus on defending against her attacks until I get home.
The thought that Emma likes me for who I am, not because of the trait, has created a crack in my heart.
And Emma is poking at that crack…
‘Get a grip. We’re almost there. Why are you getting swayed now?’
The money I’ve saved so far exceeds $900,000.
With the reward Jet promised, it’ll be closer to $1,000,000.
Even though Emma keeps shaking me, what’s important now is getting home.
And even if Emma really does like me for who I am…
‘I hate you, Kid.’
…The trauma deeply embedded in my chest hasn’t disappeared either.
…Right, there can never be a happy ending between Emma and me.
I kept building walls around my heart as I put the money into my inventory.
From now on, I’ll focus solely on saving money, making sure those walls don’t come down.
[Amount left until logout: $906,023 / $1,000,000]
I looked at the amount left until logout and firmly resolved.
One more year.
I’ll definitely save $100,000 within that time.
The day the Rush and Gold Gang was wiped out.
The relationship between Emma and me reversed, and I decided to focus only on the money.
And time flew by.
Six months have passed since that day I made my firm resolution.
