"I know there are two Rainbow-rank adventurers here. Once they invite me to join them as a companion, you're all finished."
As far as I know, besides Lina and me, there's no one else who's reached Rainbow rank—and we aren't even Rainbow-rank anymore.
Everyone stared at the playboy in disbelief, silently exchanging glances, until their eyes finally landed on me—but no one said a word.
"…..."
I turned to Dex, gesturing with my hand as if to ask what was going on. Dex's expression and hand motion answered that he had no idea what the playboy was talking about.
"What's the matter? Too scared to speak? Feeling a little fear now, huh?"
The playboy was still smug, but I had a rough idea—he was truly ignorant and foolish, and his information was outdated. He was talking about Lina and me. To stop him from continuing his arrogance, I took the lead and laughed out loud.
"Ha ha ha!"
"HA HA HA!!!"
I gestured for everyone else to join in, ignoring whatever nonsense the playboy was saying.
"Invited you? You've got to be dreaming, haha!"
"Typical pretty-boy nonsense."
"All talk and still clueless."
"Ugh, don't regret it later! Hey! Let me go, you trash!"
The playboy struggled, wanting me to release him. I let go, since there was nowhere for him to run. Then I asked him the most basic question.
"I'm asking you—why do you think Rainbow-rank adventurers would invite you as a companion?"
The playboy stood up and gave a perfect demonstration of a scumbag in action. Ladies, take note!
"I remember their names—Karen and Lina. They're both girls. Once they hear my sweet words, they'll be hooked on me and give me everything."
"Scum."
"Trash."
"Public enemy of women."
His words, dripping with arrogance, immediately drew contempt from everyone around. Sure enough, he was talking about us—but wait, why did he think I was a girl?!
"What's wrong with being scum, being trash, or being the public enemy of women? I have the ability to succeed, so you all just jealous and envious me!"
The playboy shamelessly boasted, completely oblivious to the fact that his target was standing right in front of him. Of course, that only made everyone angrier.
"Didn't you think they might be listening when you said that?"
"If you're jealous, just admit it—no one will blame you. Hahaha!"
I really wanted to wipe that smug look off his face, make the world a better place. But not yet. Patience. I need to set the record straight first.
"I admit, I envy your confidence. But I think you'll be disappointed—there are no Rainbow-rank adventurers here."
"Of course I know. One has black hair, the other is white, and they're always together. I recognized them when I see them."
So he had tried to confirm… but it was still a wasted effort. My "here" wasn't referring to just the guild.
"I mean, there's no one in the capital who's Rainbow-rank. And those two you're talking about aren't Rainbow-rank either."
After hearing my explanation, the playboy pressed a hand to his face in disbelief.
"No… impossible… ah—I get it! You're lying to me because you're afraid I'll join them and come back to teach you a lesson! You've been found out, trash!"
He was making things up in his head—hopeless. Where did he even get such blind confidence? I sighed and said to him:
"…Then just wait for them to show up. To keep you from getting bored, we'll help you pass the time."
As I spoke, I signaled the men nearby to surround him. Handsome troublemakers like this are always the most popular targets for a few well-placed punches.
The playboy looked around, panicked, while the men warmed up and moved closer. I joined in the warm-up.
"I'm not staying with you stinky men! Stay away from me!"
He trembled, waving his hands frantically, but why should we listen to him?
"Too bad—we want to play with the source of your confidence! Consider yourself honored!"
I shouted, then punched him square in the confident face. The playboy was sent flying into the group of men, who immediately began to "educate" him. I watched as he got his lesson.
"Surround him! Surround him!"
"Party time! Oh yeah!"
"Hold… hold the face… hold the…"
The playboy still had the energy to protest, but for a self-absorbed pretty boy like him, we'll only hit him in the face.
"How dare you use your looks to deceive women? I'll make sure you can't rely on that face anymore."
"Before going to the dungeon, take a taste of social punishment!"
"Finish him!"
Once the men were done, they returned to the sidelines. The playboy's face was a mess, but the rest of him was unharmed. He was still conscious.
"…You…you all…I…"
"Hey, are you done, men?"
Then it was the women's turn. Every one of them had expressions so intimidating that the men froze like boys, unable to speak. The women's punishment was even harsher than the men's.
"Looks like they're done. Now it's our turn!"
"Let's go, sisters!"
"How dare you treat women like fools!"
Women really are terrifying creatures. Wherever they can hit, they hit; where they can't, they still find a way.
At one point, someone even pulled out a knife, and the men—feeling the danger—quickly forced her to leave the scene.
"For men who think with their lower half, they must be made incapable of standing again!"
One older sister kicked the playboy's vulnerable spot with force. The men letting out cries of shared pain.
"Uuuuuhhh—ahhh!"
The men and I instinctively protected ourselves, while the older sister finished her strike.
"Ahh—so refreshing. Let's go have a drink."
"No drinking, no leaving!"
The playboy was left there, like a salted fish. We men approached cautiously, and he was already foaming at the mouth, unconscious. Had he died?
"Is he dead?"
"Maybe not?"
"Hey, go check."
"No way, you go."
Everyone pushed the responsibility around, unwilling to check if he was dead. I saw a faint twitch—he wasn't dead. I told them to shut up.
"Quiet. He's not dead yet. Let's dump him in the alley and leave a piece of bread for him."
"Karen, that's so kind of you."
Dex came over too. He thought I was being nice for giving the bread. I waved my hand to stop him from misunderstanding.
"No, I'm not being kind. You all know he was looking for Lina and me. Don't you want to see his reaction when he realizes the truth?"
If he knew I was the one he was looking for, his expression would be priceless. But first, he had to survive. Everyone nodded in agreement without a word.
"Of course we want to see it!"
"He'll probably want to leave the capital after he realizes, but since he lied about his adventurer rank, he can't leave here."
The playboy can only look for a job in the capital now, but I bet he'll just keep scamming money from girls. Someone then raised a question.
"Hey, with his skills, do you think he could be kept by a rich woman?"
He made a very good point—I couldn't find a single argument against it. Then Brett replied in a disgusted tone.
"Kid, are you jealous?"
"No, I'm just thinking… what if some rich widow falls for his sweet talk and hands him all her money? Wouldn't he become the winner of life?"
This possibility was extremely high. I could picture it clearly: a lonely widow who lost her husband meets the playboy, gets "comforted," then becomes emotionally dependent on him. She won't want him to leave, so she keeps spending money to tie him down. In the end, she gives him all her property.
It's a classic plot—anyone could imagine it, it's practically everywhere. Then Brett answered him again with the same annoyed tone.
"Hmph, that's what you call winning? A real man earns money with himself."
"That's right!"
Everyone strongly agreed with Brett. I agreed too.
"Let's go! Throw him out and then we drink."
"I'll go buy the bread."
After telling them that, I went to buy a few pieces of bread. Then we headed into the back alley and placed the bread on the playboy's legs as he leaned against the wall. I checked if anyone was around, then secretly cast healing magic on him.
His injuries were honestly tragic—especially his face. Just looking at it made me feel scared. I didn't even know if he could eat, so I healed him just in case.
After that, I returned to the guild and continued what I was doing earlier. I received my payment, chatted casually with Sally and Dex, until Lina' closing time.
Then Lani and I waited for Lina to change out of her uniform and back into the clothes she wore in the morning.
"Karen, I'm done."
"Let's go home."
"Mm."
We walked 7 minutes back home and then started preparing dinner. While eating, I asked Lina what she thought about the playboy trying to grab her earlier.
"Lina, when that scumbag tried to reach out to grab you, were you scared?"
Lina shook her head and smiled with full trust in me.
"No. Because I knew you would come protect me, so I wasn't scared at all."
Hearing her words made me smile. Her trust gave me a warm sense of happiness. But I felt a little embarrassed, not sure what to say, so I just brushed it off.
"I… I see. But what if I wasn't there?"
From morning to afternoon I had been at home. If someone like the playboy tried something during that time, what would Lina do? Especially since I'll be gone for a long period later.
"Then I'd hit him. The guild has a rule, if an adventurer lays hands on a staff member, the staff can fight back."
Lina showed me a perfect punch combination, proving she could handle harassment.
"That's good. Just don't learn from those women—they were way too brutal."
I shivered thinking about Lina using that lady's "end-his-family-line" kick.
"Mm."
Though I trusted Lina, I worried she might run into nobles. Just in case, I must get the king's permission later—permission to beat nobles without consequences.
After dinner we showered, then went to the movie room, turned on the AC and the projector, and sat on the sofa choosing something to watch.
"Karen, let's watch this one."
Lina pointed at a movie featuring a creepy doll on the cover—the title was "AnXXXXlle", something famous even in my previous life.
"No. It's a horror movie. You'll get scared. And Rani is still young—it'll traumatize her."
"I not scared."
"I'm not scared either."
Seriously…? The cover alone terrified me. So I asked again.
"Are you sure you're not scared?"
"Not scared."
I had no escape. I couldn't admit I was the one who didn't want to watch it. So I agreed.
"Fine. But don't come knocking on my door at night. I'm locking it, understood?"
I would probably hide in my room afterward, too scared to come out, paranoid at every little noise.
"Okay."
"…Mm."
Why did Lina hesitate? Does she have other intentions for wanting to watch this movie? Forget it. I played the movie and hugged a pillow while trembling.
Throughout the movie my heart kept pounding nonstop. Rani had turned her back to the screen with her eyes closed, but the sound effects still startled her every few minutes.
Lina kept clutching my arm, refusing to let go. Every time a scary scene came up, she buried her head against me and only peeked when she sensed it might be safe again.
Finally, the movie ended, and I told them:
"No more horror movies, understood?"
"Mm!"
"Okay!"
"Good. Go to sleep."
After Lina tiptoed out carrying Lani, I turned off all the power in the movie room. Then I went to check that all the doors were properly locked.
The moment I heard a bit of wind, I turned my head left and right nervously, feeling fear creeping in. I hurried to lock every door and rushed back to my room, dove under my blanket, and went to sleep.