--- Kat ---
The vice captain asked quite a few more questions after that admittance. Kat was surprised when Hunter whipped out a large piece of a paper, about A3 in size, and started to draw a detailed map of the tunnels they went through after the vice captain had asked for a description of the caves. Hunter even went so far as to put an arrow indicating where the town is in relation to the town.
*I didn't realise she'd be so good at making maps. This... this is nearly a work of art all by itself.* Kat was, if anything, underselling it. The map was expertly done, and if it wasn't taking shape before Kat's eyes she would've assumed a number of programs were used to keep all the lines so perfect. Hunter's hand was steady, and didn't falter even for a second as the pencil ran over the page.
The vice was, if anything, more surprised. "This... I can't accept this!"
"Why not?" asked Hunter. "I have provided you an up to date map for the situation including marking all of the known worm pits I destroyed along the way. I am certain it is accurate,"
"Yeah, yeah it bloody well is! It's the most accurate map I've ever seen. Assuming it's even halfway as accurate as it looks to me at the moment, then this will be the finest map in the entire town... and it's for a fucking cave in the middle of nowhere!
This is the sort of thing you'd normal hang up for display not use to check on dirty tunnels!" hissed the vice captain who still hadn't given their name.
"You saw that it took but a moment of my time, so it is of no concern to me what is done with it. If you wish to display it, then make it so. I simply drew up the map as requested," stated Hunter.
"Right... right I suppose you did... shit. Ok... right this puts me in an even more awkward place. Technically I owe you a decent clip of money. If the worms were really there, and I have no reason to doubt you about that... then I'm obligated to offer you, if not currency directly, then a recommendation note for future jobs...
"But because I'm just the deputy here... I don't have enough leeway to actually hand over either of those things. The notes need to be signed by the captain and yourself, signifying your acceptance of no pay... or I'd need to pay you... but for something like this... I don't think the payment scheme was ever intended for something like this..." said the vice captain trailing off slightly.
"What do you mean?" asked Kat
"Well the standard payment scheme is based on attacking a monster lair filled with at least Rank 1 monsters. We're meant to pay you based on the number of monsters killed. Not much, the minimum amount is just ten coppers per head... but... well I'm sure you can already see the problem here," said the vice captain.
Not all that long later a woman came out, leaning heavily on a can as she hobbled over. "Hello Slvr, what can I do for you and... these guests?" asked the new woman, her daughter trailing quietly behind her though not grasping onto the woman's long dress.
"They seem to have dealt with the Puppet Worms in the forest... and it was a bigger issue then we believed.
Because of the laws around payment for things like that... well it wasn't designed for large groupings of worms, and I can't just hand out the sort of money they technically deserve without the captain around... so we came to an agreement where they'd stay here the night, and technically longer, but really only just the night,"
"I see," said the woman with a slightly sour tone to her voice before turning to the demons. "Are you sure our old captain here isn't trying to guilt you into accepting a sub-par reward? While I will admit the issues with the mayor mean it would be a touch difficult something could be worked out I'm sure,"
Kat wasn't quite sure what to say... but Hunter apparently did. The lamia slithered forward and then summoned a literal pallet of gold onto the floor just off to the side, letting it land with a thunk. "This is not even a small fraction of the wealth I happen to just have on me at the moment.
We are passing through for different, more important work... but I have a particular dislike for the things you call puppet worms so I took them out. The best reward we could receive is a place to stay for one night, and no trouble leaving the town,"
The innkeeper stared as Hunter waved her hand again and the pallet of gold disappeared. Slvr wasn't much better. Young Stephny however, had no such issues. "Woah! That was so cool! Does that mean you're like a super monster hunter!
You must be to have so much gold,"
Hunter considered the question for a moment. "I am... not from around here. For the area, I would indeed be a cut above the rest, though compared to many in my family I am not too spectacular,"
"Wow miss, you must have a really cool family!" insisted Stephny.
Hunter smiled back, reaching over to scratch just under the girl's ear, which was apparently a great place to scratch because the Stephny immediately collapsed towards Hunter's other waiting hand and started what could roughly be described as purring. "Indeed, my family is, as you say, very cool," stated Hunter with a smile. A real, smile.
*You know... after her issues with KKL98SM I was not expecting her to be that good with kids.*