Reincarnated as a Gun in Another World with a System!

Chapter 5 - Nowhere is Safe

“Chloe, aim your pistol at the merchant and do as I say,” I counsel, and whisper at Chloe, thinking this peddler might hear me, which he has.

“B-But why, Kuro? My father told me merchants do not want to kill! They only want to help people by selling their stuff and focusing on flourishing their business! Even the mercenaries and the adventurers have never touched each other for a fight, not even once!”

“I’m not saying your father is a liar, but listen to me now. Aim the gun at the merchant and repeat after me.”

“B-But… He’s just a merchant!”

“Looks can be deceiving, princess.”

……

_________

Princess Chloe’s Perspective

_________

“Who are you, and what do you want?”

Kuro, this gun I am aiming at the merchant, tells me to raise my guard. But father always tells me that these peddlers are not to be harmed, for they are not equipped to fight. However, since Kuro has saved my life, I would do as he says... If I think he has overstepped a line, I will stop. Until then, I shall hear him out.

Thankfully, Kuro’s premonition comes true.

“V-Valuable customer! I am s-surprised to see you here in the middle of the forest! Do you want to purchase my merchandise?” the vendor says, slowly reaching out for something in his cape. It is probably potions, elixirs, and herbs this man wants to vend. However, Kuro thinks otherwise.

“Move your hands where I can see them. Lift them up, or I will… take away your arms.”

I order the peddler to see his arms so he won’t reach out inside his satchel. But the merchant keeps stretching his arms, so I… I have done something I do not wish to do.

I pull the trigger and aim at the rock beside the seller. The stone is around four feet tall. But with a single bullet, the boulder shatters into pieces. Kuro tells me to demonstrate the power of my gun, scaring the seller and forcing him to do as I say. And it works. The moment the merchant notices the power of Kuro - the gun - he then careful retracts his hand and shakes his head in a panic.

‘Why did you do that, Kuro?! I could’ve almost killed him if I didn’t miss!’ I mumble under my breath and ask Kuro a question.

He replies, ‘We won’t kill him, princess. Trust me. He’s not reaching out for his goods, but a wand or a sword. That’s a weapon hidden in his sleeve, and we prevented a fight from even happening. Just… do as I say… please.’

“What brings you here, bounty hunter? Are you here for me? Or are you here for something else? Maybe… someone has hired you or the bounty beside my name has enticed you.”

‘B-Bounty hunter? How did this merchant end up being a killer when he looks normal?’ I think, but continue to follow Kuro’s instructions.

“What are you saying, princess? I am just a traveling merchant, and I’ve been tasked to serve you, your highness. Apologies for what happened to the King and Queen… and what happened to your brother. You’ve suffered a terrible experience, and for that I shall lend you my goods.”

“I’ve… never told you I am Princess Chloe. Although I am the daughter of the Queen and King of the Winfort Kingdom, you should not know I am their daughter… And besides, nobody knows what happened to my parents…. Them dying at my brother’s hands. YOU TRICKED ME !”

I… I have never thought about it, but this merchant really is a bounty hunter in disguise. If I am ignorant, maybe this would have already been my last stop, dying in the hands of someone I do not know… for money, above all things.

“TSK! Let me just take you with me, dead or alive! It will’ve been better if I keep you unconscious so that I can play around with you for a little while.~”

“Please tell me who you are... and I will not shoot you.”

When the bounty hunter clicks his tongue, he snappily reaches back to his satchel and prepares to fight. But Kuro and I are quick to react. I pull the trigger, just like Kuro has instructed, this time hitting the merchant on his left non-dominant arm, immobilising him momentarily. The ammunition, which Kuro has described, is enough to injure the peddler. Thankfully, the bullet pierces through his body and gets out on the other side, but the wound severely damages his right arm.

I could only hope that this merchant could still use his upper hand next time. That will be a problem if he doesn’t.

“W-What did you just do to me?!” the merchant asks, as he gazes at his wounded arm, creating a puddle of blood. “W-What kind of weapon or magic are you using?!”

“F-Fine! FINE! I’ll talk! I’m a merchant, but I’m also working for the mercenaries and the underground adventurer! There is a place that the adventurer’s guild doesn’t know about. We handle things there, and one of the famous adventurers is there for the money! The only thing I can tell you is that... she looks human, but she ain’t one! A humanoid is what we call 'em! That wretch blends in well with the people, and she is a well-known adventurer, but a bounty hunter underground. A two-face, if I should say! She wears a mask, so I don't know anything about her except for her pointy ears and a tail hidden behind her back! T-That’s all I could give you! You’ve got a bounty on your head, princess, so that’s why people are going to hunt you down!” the merchant slips a poster in front of me and resumes. “That’s you! Your brother has sent this, and news goes fast in this place! Spare my life, and maybe I can do something for you!”

“I’ve said enough... Please, don’t kill me, princess. I was once a devotee of your parents, the king and queen... until my life crashed into pieces. So right now, I’ve resolved myself to become a bounty hunter... This pays well more than any job done in a village,” the merchant continues.

I... just stare at the man before me after hearing those words. He... tries to help me, thinking I could do something about the Kingdom and the villages around our power... But what could I even do? I have done nothing, even as a princess. My parents told me that I would be the one leading the throne and resume what they have started... And I love that kind of life.

But something in my chest tells me otherwise. And Kuro, who has been staring at me for a while, studies my reaction. He wants to say something, but chooses silence... Why now? I want some guidance, Kuro... He is far wiser than any individual, strategist, or chamberlain...

Still, I resume what is in front of me and think about the merchant’s safety. But I am not sure about the extent of these bullets made from Kuro. So I turn my head toward him and press for more answers.

“W-Will that kill him, Kuro?” I ask my talking gun. “Tell me, Kuro, will that bullet take that man’s life!?”

Kuro replies… “Yes and no. No, that won’t kill him as long as he nurses his wound and prevents any more of that bleeding… Or else he would die from loss of blood, which is a yes.”

“Tell him he has some spare clothes to sell and use so that he can apply pressure on that injured part. And demand the merchant to create you a valid adventurer’s card,” Kuro continues… “And then, we’ll let him live.”

Kuro continues and orders me around. I do as he commands and tell me the exact thing Kuro has told me.

___________

Back to Kuro Usagi’s Point of View

……………..

[Name]: {Rodrigo Moss}

[Species]: {Human}

[Age]: {18-year-old}

[Class]: {Bounty Hunter}, [Adventurer], [Merchant].

[Level 18]

…………..

We are never safe. Just like what Chloe has mentioned, this person is just a merchant. And from the way I see it, merchants are like business people who don’t care shit about anything else besides making money, selling stuff, and buying items for the people.

However, it’s a different story if that merchant is also a bounty hunter and an adventurer.

It’s a good thing I have my system with me. Before anything else, I have seen everything through the deceit of this peddler.

This merchant is no ordinary peddler. In the naked eye, this man right here has a sack filled with items he wishes to sell. But under the mask, that man is an adventurer… a bounty hunter, even, ready to kill at any given second. And since he is also an adventurer, I deduce he could forge us with an identification card for the guild just like what he has done. He might be an expert on this.

As luck would have it, Princess Chloe outlevels the bounty hunter, and I am a gun. We have also gained something from the merchant. Thanks to the trader, we now have an adventurer’s card and even spare clothes for Chloe to blend in with the village. We’re safe… for now. But as soon as we have made contact with this seller, that merchant would notify all mercenaries, bounty hunters, and rogue adventurers that we are approaching the village. And that is going to be a problem for us.

For now, the bounty hunter shouldn’t have gained more information about me. Or else we would be screwed if word came out that a new powerful weapon is in the hands of this princess… And Chloe is alive.

As soon as we leave the place, Chloe and I head forth toward the village. But even after all that, Chloe raises a question, which I am more than willing to answer.

“H-Hey, Kuro. Why are we going to the nearby town even though we introduced ourselves to the hunter?”

I reply, “It’s because it’s the only safe place for us to get a quest from the guild, fill up our inventory with a dagger or potions, get some information about the war happening, and where would be the safest route we could trek and return to your Kingdom. And then we get the hell out of there. We won’t sleep inside an inn or any place, or else the hired adventurers or mercenaries will come after you. We could, but that depends on our situation. If we find nothing suspicious, then we could spend a night there. Got it?”

“Is there anything else… we could do besides running away?” Chloe asks, as she bobs her head. 

I answer, “Sadly, there isn’t one right now. But maybe if we could put a name on ourselves and become an influential adventurer using your fake name, we could do something about it. Slowly but surely, we’ll make it towards the south where your Kingdom of Winfort is located.”

“Again, apologies, princess. But I have to protect you. That bounty hunter is going to trick you if we haven’t used any means, if you get what I’m saying. It’s how it is. We didn’t kill him, that’s for sure. And I don’t want to kill him either… unless.” I leave out the last part of my sentence and mumble it to myself.

Unfortunately, Princess Chloe somewhat hears it and wishes to repeat what I’ve said. “Can you say that again? The last one. I did not quite hear you, Kuro.”

“Nothing…”

And so, our journey begins as we march towards the heart of the forest and pass by an ocean of trees. I try teaching Chloe about hunting rabbits efficiently. But alas, my efforts are futile for now. She is improving bit by bit, but against those mercenaries that have chased her around like a rat, I doubt Princess Chloe could defend herself right now, even with me being around.

After a few days, the village is now up ahead. We are at the apex of a cliff, and plan on visiting the town and leaving there as fast as we can enter and collect the quests we need to take. I could only hope that the adventurer’s guild here is the same as the ones in the games I have played…