Chapter 49: Hand Them Over
The armoured Predicament paused dead in its tracks, freezing a few metres away from Hilda, who gave it a disgusted glare. Elias swiftly waltzed over, stepping in front of the Predicament.
He shot it a glance, then sighed in relief, thankful that Hilda reserved her killing intent towards it. But then, he shivered in awe the moment he settled his gaze on the side of its face.
Ross had outfitted the Predicament in a crude set of armour made from metal sheets, which included a helmet as well, with holes for its ears to pop out.
But the thing was, the side of the helmet Hilda had struck was completely dented in!
’Such monstrous strength...!’ Elias thought in horror before turning to Hilda and Roxy, ’She’s more of a gorilla than the gorilla beside her!’
Elias walked over.
"Miss Hilda, did you step to help us? Or to intervene...?" He inquired, hoping for the former.
"To intervene." Hilda answered, much to Elias’ disappointment.
She then turned to Roxy with an amiable expression.
"Look, all of this started because these guys stole from yours, ja?" Hilda pointed back at Elias’ group with her thumb, "How about we come to a comprise und settle all future conflicts here with a deal?"
Roxy quirked an eyebrow.
"And how do you suppose we do that, then, Miss LRM?"
"Haha, by giving you what you want!"
Hilda clapped her hands together before turning her head to face Elias.
"Hand over all the eyes you procured today over to this lovely lady, Mister Thorne."
Elias stared blankly at Hilda with blinking eyes, clearly trying to process what he had just heard.
And when he did, he yelled out:
"HAAA!? ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Elias pointed indignantly at Roxy and the members of her crew who were on the ground.
"We were so close to winning! And you want me to hand over all that we just made just so that this bunch of losers can’t bother us anymore? AS IF!"
The members of Elias’ squad that were still conscious spoke up in outrage as well.
"EXACTLY!"
"WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM ANYTHING!?"
"THEY’RE THE ONES WHO ATTACKED US FIRST!"
"JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE FROM THE LRM DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN BOSS US AROUND!"
Nadia listened to the backlash Hilda was getting and couldn’t help but feel guilty because of it. ’She’s doing it because of me...’
Despite being strongly against intervening, Hilda had done it all because she had asked her to without asking for anything in return...
’And not only that, she had even asked something, while knowing the obvious backlash behind that request.’
What she was asking for would definitely lead to some rumours being spread about her, or a hit to her reputation. Whatever could result from this would definitely conflict with her plans.
’So why...?’
Nadia fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, deeply confused. Then she paused when she came to a reasonable conclusion.
Could it be that Hilda had sensed how uncomfortable she was with the conflict and wanted to prevent it from happening again in the exam?
She clenched the hem of her shirt tightly with an intense and guilty expression. ’She didn’t need to do that for me...’ She thought in shame.
Nadia was never good at letting others take the blame for her decisions.
As the Heroine continued to wallow in guilt, Hilda scanned the faces of the people shouting at her and hummed.
She then turned back to the Street Rat.
Elias, who was about to make another comment about her request, watched as a palm fell on his shoulder, firmly holding in place.
"W-what are you—"
"Haha, dummkopf, there’s no need for shouting. Why don’t we use our indoor voices~" Hilda placed a finger over her lips. "Even if we are certain there’s no Predicaments in this area, it doesn’t hurt to be extra careful."
"Ugh..."
Elias cautiously glanced at the hand gripping his shoulder and scanned Hilda’s knuckles.
Now that he thought about it... Wasn’t it this hand that Hilda used to backhand the armoured Predicament?
He then subconsciously imagined what it would be like to get punched in the eye by her and immediately straightened his back from trepidation.
He gulped, then shook his head to dash away the fears.
"Miss Hilda, we can’t just give up our eyes, even if the Predicament did most of the work, we still risked out lives to get them."
"Worry not, my dear dummkopf!" Hilda waved her hand playfully, "I’ll compensate you for this, so just pass along your eyes to Miss..."
She turned back to Roxy.
"I hadn’t caught your name, may I know it?"
"H-huh, oh, it’s Roxy. Roxy Rutherford."
Hilda turned back to Elias.
"Pass along your eyes to Miss Rutherford, und I’ll compensate you for it."
Elias’ face wrinkled when he heard that, clearly unwilling to go through with Hilda’s request.
He was stuck.
’If I come back with no eyes, Ross will have me for it! But if I don’t agree, then this woman would also have me for it!’ Elias sweated. No matter what option he chooses, he’ll get beaten in both!
Seeing Elias struggle to decide, Hilda smiled eerily as she slowly placed her hand into her bag, as if she were a cowgirl preparing to quickly draw her gun for a duel.
She then began to make obvious glances at the armoured Predicament, hinting something to Elias, who quickly caught on.
’Is she saying that she’ll kill the Predicament if I don’t comply!?’ Elias thought in disbelief.
He then made a crooked smile.
"M-miss Hilda, blackmailing isn’t something someone as esteemed as you should do..."
"Hm? Blackmailing? I don’t know what you’re on about~"
Watching as Hilda feigned ignorance, Elias frowned.
He then sighed and said:
"Fine. But under one condition. You must swear on your Heart that you will definitely compensate us."
"Hoh~?" Hilda quirked an eyebrow, amused by Elias’ request. "Making conditions now, are we? Sure, I’ll do it."
Elias then witnessed as Hilda planted her fist over her Heart.
"I, Hilda Hertel, of the Land Reclamation Military, swear on my Heart that I will compensate Elias Thorne for his sacrifice. Will that do?"
Elias eyed Hilda, then sighed again.
"Fine, FINE!" He shouted before looking back at his squad, "Go on, you heard her! Give them our eyes!"
Elias’ squad, after ruminating on their options, reluctantly handed over their eyes, which had strangely hardened into a crystalline-like material, becoming something akin to an unpolished crystal globe.
After inspecting the eyes and pocketing them into their bags, Roxy approached Hilda and graciously thanked her.
"We really appreciate what you just did," She said, rubbing the back of her head, "I actually expected you to take our eyes yourself, when you stepped in."
"Pfft, I wouldn’t do that!" Hilda chuckled, "Despite it costing us our eyes, I want everyone to get along. Even if begrudgingly und only for this exam."
Roxy nodded, pleased.
"That’s very kind of you. But I don’t think that rat shares the same sentiments," She commented, sneaking Elias’ squad a glance and sensing their disapproving glare, "Staying with them might not be a good idea after this. Although I doubt it, given how strong you are, you can come with us and stay at our camp until the duration of the exam."
Hilda smiled at the offer and shook her head slightly.
"There’ll be no need for that, but thank you. I appreciate your worry for my safety." She then paused for a split second before adding, "But if I do ever come across you camp, I do hope you’ll welcome me earnestly."
"Hahaha, absolutely! Please do come whenever, we’re located more towards the west of that warehouse you’re currently staying at."
After she said that, she set off with her crew, who carried their unconscious over their shoulders.
And once they got far enough, Hilda glanced at Elias, who was staring at her expectantly, before turning to her group.
She then made a random, nonchalant gesture with her hand and said:
"Give Elias und his group all of the eyes we have on us. We’ll be using that as compensation."
Everyone widened their eyes, shocked at what they just heard.
It was also Seraphine’s time to complain.
"You can’t be serious, Hilda! You and Nadia worked hard for those eyes, we can’t just—"
"Just do as she says."
"W-what?"
Seraphine turned to the side, looking at Nadia, who had chimed in, and watched as the Heroine opened her satchel and began tossing the eyes inside the bag towards Elias’ party. They were slack-jawed, and Seraphine was no different.
As she was about to inquire about the reason for this, she watched as Callum began doing the same.
"I’m certain Miss Hertel has something in mind, Seraphine, let’s just do as she says," Callum stated with a reassuring smile.
"Well... if you guys are fine with it..." Seraphine muttered, acquiescent.
One by one, Hilda’s group began to toss all the eyes they had on them.
Elias quickly counted the eyes thrown at them and widened his eyes in shock.
"There are 42 eyes in here, which means..." Elias slowly calculated, "OH MY GOD!"
In the span of a little over a day, Hilda’s group had managed to kill a total of 21 Predicaments, with most of them having been killed by Hilda.
’That’s more than double what we managed to gather yesterday and today combined!’ Elias sweated, then internally pumped his fist.
He had made the right choice.
’I really am a dummkopf!’
Elias then noticed the orange tint in the sky.
"Alright, all! We’ll be ending our hunt early today, let’s head back to Rusty Den!"
They woke up their unconscious members and began making their way back. And in the middle of that trip back, Nadia, who was walking alongside Hilda, snuck her a subtle glance before asking:
"Are you really not bothered?"
"Hm~? By what? The eyes?"
"Yeah..." Nadia murmured, still feeling a bit of guilt, "I doubt when it’s time for them to split their inventory of it they would save a bigger portion for us..."
"So, you’re worried we won’t have enough to stand out?"
Hilda faced the woman with a calm and smug expression on her face.
"Now, when did you get so self-serving~?"
Nadia stared at her emotionlessly and shook her head.
"I’m worried about us. Not just myself."
Hilda stared blankly at the woman with surprise in her eyes before letting out a chuckle.
"Pfft."
She then turned her head away from Nadia, hiding her face, and stated:
"You have nothing to worry about, meine Dame," Hilda turned back to face Nadia, "For by the time this exam is over, it wouldn’t matter if we gave away even a hundred pairs of eyes!"
Nadia, who watched as Hilda turned back to face her, widened her eyes as she witnessed a sinister smile stretch across the German’s face — sending shivers of foreboding down her spine.
"By the end of the exam, I will be the one with the biggest monopoly."
She then watched as Hilda planted a fist over her Heart.
"I swear it on my Heart."