“Is two people all?”
“Yes. Myself and my wife.”
“Hm. We’ll accept 2 gold pieces for the escort fee.”
I passed 5 gold to the hired soldier and he grinned widely.
There was an unexpected charm overflowing from the smile of this mercenary who was lacking two front teeth.
“Thank you very much, your honor. Us mercenaries will protect you with our lives during your stay here. Please have an exciting day with your missus. Ooi, escort this couple to their spot! Make sure it’s of the highest class!”
“Roger.”
Outskirts of Pavia.
Slave merchants had set up stalls throughout the open plains in this area.
To prevent thieves from pilfering, soldiers were strictly guarding the entire market. There were 5 platforms of various sizes, approximately 70 guards, and market stalls so grand that you’d mistake this place as a military camp if you looked from afar. Most bandits wouldn’t even dare to mess with this market.
“This way, your honor.”
“Mm.”
Following the man’s guidance, we went to the center of the market.
Lapis Lazuli and I were pretending to be a young merchant couple. We had exquisitely forged our identification papers and names. With this, we wouldn’t have to worry about our actual identities being found out any time soon.
The slave market was overflowing with a shady and damp ambiance.
“Move it already! You damned dullards.”
“Snow elves here! Captured straight from the deep snowy mountains in the kingdom of Moscow. As a special occasion, I’ll be displaying them for free today. Please come and take a look!”
“I told you to walk more quickly!”
On one side, a guard was swinging a whip and forcing a group of slaves to move. A line of 6 male slaves were chained together and walked forward a little bit at a time. It felt like I was watching a caterpillar.
“Please look as much as you want. Looking is free!”
On another side, a naked elf was locked up behind iron bars. A sales promoter kept going on about how amazing his ‘product’ was while pointing at the elf’s breasts and ribs. There were many people gathered around the iron cage, and there were even kids among them. Little girls were sticking their heads through the bars and staring at the bare elf.
I could hear their conversation.
“Big sis, is it true that elves live off of only drinking dew?”
“……”
“Uhm, I don’t think she understands what we’re saying. I don’t know how to speak the language used in Moscow, too……”
“They say that elves drink the raw blood of kids every year. That’s why they stay pretty for a hundred and two hundred years.”
“You idiot! Don’t lie!”
The group of little girls giggled. The elf smiled softly as she watched the kids. When the children reached their hands out, the elf more than gladly put her arm out to let them touch her skin. Although the elf’s arm was thin and mostly bones, the little girls were making a commotion as if they were touching something like gold.
“These mischievous kids!”
The sales person lifted the children up while laughing heartily.
“You can’t touch the product thoughtlessly like that!”
I watched up to that point and turned away.
—Kuaaaaaaah……
The sound of a whip lashing and a slave screaming could be heard in the distance, and yet no one in the market area paid it any mind. The only ones to pay attention to the screaming were the kids. Each time they heard a moan, the children would get excited and ask “Did you hear that? Did you hear that?”. Every time they heard a scream, they would echo the sound with their own voices shouting “Kaah!” “Kueeak!”.
Was it because of their innocence, perhaps?
I muttered.
“This is quite the splendid place. Are all slave markets like this?”
“Yes. There are not a lot of differences.”
Lapis Lazuli responded.
“The slave market that this one was indebted to for a short period of time, during this one’s childhood, had the same feeling as this.”
“What? You worked at a slave market before?”
“To be precise, this one did not work at a slave market, but wanted to become a slave instead. At the time, this one was incredibly famished. This one had thought that as long as this one was able to obtain a meal, then it would be fine to become a slave. Since slaves were at least fed.”
Lapis Lazuli spoke calmly.
“However, once the slave merchant found out that this one was a half-breed, he had chased this one out. Apparently, outcasts did not have the ‘right’ to become a product to be dealt in. Regardless, before this one’s identity was revealed, this one was able to eat half of a stale bread. It is a good memory.”
“……”
Lapis Lazuli’s past was so dark that it was scary……
Doing whatever I could to change the topic, I cleared my throat.
“The succubus that used to wander these market grounds is now the mistress of a Demon Lord. Is that not splendid, Lala? A person’s worth is not determined by their birth. You, who was able to overcome all kinds of unfavorable conditions, have the most beautiful value out of them all.”
Lapis Lazuli gave me a side glance.
“……Your highness sure does make surprising remarks occasionally.”
“Hm?”
“It is nothing. Your highness had complimented that this one had succeeded, but that is woefully inadequate. Until your highness has become a true ruler of demons, until that moment is when this one’s success can be put up for debate.”
“You are quite the greedy woman.”
I smiled.
“That’s why I like you.”
“There is nothing for your highness to be flattering this one for.”
“I am not hoping for much. I would simply like it if there was more charm mixed in tonight’s affairs. In the first place, when we do ‘that’ your face is so stonelike that it’s rather fun to……”
Lapis Lazuli stepped on my right foot. The heel of her shoe was stabbing into the bridge of my foot so it hurt quite a lot, but in contrast, I felt delighted.
Yes. This was the same Lapis Lazuli as usual. The same Lapis Lazuli that was cool-headed, calm, and would react moderately to my teasing. Feeling a rare sense of relief from that, I unpacked my things at the quarters that the hired soldiers had guided us to.
That night, we had received an invitation to a banquet with the slave merchants.
It was worth giving that soldier 5 gold. The people on the market’s side had recognized us as VIPs and had given us an invitation.
I wonder if it was because the banquet was for slave merchants, but the gathering was rather extravagant. There were several guards standing as security and beautiful slaves were serving the food in the nude. I had soon mixed in with the group of merchants and chatted with them.
Alcohol went around appropriately. It was just the right amount for people to become intoxicated. During this sort of ambitious night, this was the most appropriate time to induce people into confessing their inner-thoughts. Now, shall we get down to the point……?
“This is the first time in my life seeing such a luxurious slave market. I have been to several slave markets in the past that were of a larger scale, but if you compared the quality of the products between here and there, they can’t possibly match with the excellence here. It is wonderful, everyone. I am truly moved.”
“Haha. You’re thinking too highly of us.”
The slave merchants laughed with bright red faces.
An enlivened mood flowed throughout the room. Everyone gave a favorable impression. For people who dealt in slaves, it was hard to believe how harmless these people appeared. Did they not even have the slightest amount of guilt for selling slaves?
Well, that was probably how the people of this current age were like. This wasn’t an issue that I should get involved with. Revolutions should be left in the hands of revolutionaries, and politics should be left in the hands of politicians. That was my creed. Albeit, there were many people who got these two jobs mixed up.
“There is something that I am slightly curious about, though.”
“What is it? Tell us.”
“Like how a single flower could overwhelm an entire ballroom of people, would there not be a slave with the highest value in this market as well? What does everyone here consider to be the flower of this market?”
The merchants looked at each after hearing my question.
Shortly after, they started to make a commotion.
“Of course, would it not be the snow elf that I captured from Moscow? I had to hire no less than 20 hunters just to catch that bugger. There is no doubt that my product is the best.”
“Pfft. Honestly, the elf trend is already over. These days, sirens and mermaids are the big thing. In that sense, the siren that I went through a lot of trouble getting my hands on……”
“Ha! How could some beast with wings cause any fuss? It’d be a doubtful if you could even get 20 gold off them. They may be a rare species and appropriate for livening up the atmosphere, but you can’t call them the leading star of the market. That’s for certain.”
“No, of course you should rate them higher based on their rarity. I’m actually thinking of putting out my ace in the hole and showcase a centaur. If it’s a horse than the noble ladies would……”
They clamored.
The argument on whose slave was better continued on.
After a while, a slave merchant pointed towards a young man and spoke.
“How about your side, Giacomo? I heard you really resolved yourself to prepare a product for this time.
“……It’s not as great as everyone else’s list of goods.”
The young man furrowed his brows as he responded.
He was the young man who had been silently drinking wine throughout the entire banquet. Although the other merchant was trying to bring attention to his slave, he had refused. Seeing the way his complexion had darkened, it appeared as if he was displeased about something.
“To say it’s nothing great! That’s quite modest of you!”
“That’s right, Giacomo. We aren’t deaf, we heard the rumors. We heard that you succeeded in obtaining the illegitimate child from a Duke’s family.”
The youngster made a bitter expression.
It seemed he was uncomfortable that the attention was focused onto him.
“……I was lucky. That is all.”
The man then tipped his wine glass.
I furtively curled the edges of my mouth as I stared at the young man.
Found him.
I was certain that that man was the slave merchant who was in possession of Laura De Farnese.
Enduring my laziness to participate in this banquet was worth it. To be able to find my target so quickly. I was lucky.
Acting surprised, I raised my voice.
“Wait, everyone. The illegitimate child from a Duke’s family? What is that about? I’d like to hear more details.”
“I’m not sure, but that fellow, Giacomo, obtained quite the prize at such a young age. It’s that guy’s first time debuting in the slave market industry, but my God, he got his hands on a product that’s a big shot among big shots!”
“They say it’s the illegitimate child from Duke Farnese’s House.”
The merchants got excited and started to make a big fuss.
“A duke’s family. And not some small family, but the Farnese family! Naturally, their status did indeed drop to the rock bottom after losing in the last War of Roses, but still……”
“Well, it’s an open secret. They probably didn’t want to shift the responsibility for their defeat to one of their actual heirs. So they sold off their illegitimate daughter as a compromise. Although, this is merely in the field of speculations.”
“Wouldn’t that probably be the right guess? Other possibilities are impossible…… That missy was selected as a scapegoat for the family.”
Someone clicked their tongue.
“The ones that came out on top after the War of Roses are happy they got to dishonor the Farnese family, and the Farnese family is happy that they were able to lower their losses to a minimum.”
“If you look carefully, those noble folks are better at business than we are. Keke. Those people on top sure know their stuff.”
“Furthermore, they say that ‘that’ isn’t a joke.”
A merchant mentioned while chewing on a chicken leg.
I put a fascinated expression on my face.
“What do you mean by ‘that’?”
“That, I’m talking about that. Her face and body are just so……kuuh!”
The merchant laughed wickedly. Sticky brown sauce was smeared all over his fingers. The other merchants agreed enthusiastically.
“I heard that rumor too. That she was the confined princess of Farnese!”
“Yeah. That because she was a woman of peerless beauty, they were afraid that it would cause a disturbance in the kingdom. That’s why the duke purposely hid her away in the deepest part of the mansion so no one could see her.”
“Well, honestly, it’s probably a bunch of lies.”
The merchants shrugged.
“No matter how you looked at it, they probably hid her because they were ashamed…… But what does that matter? Just the mere fact that those kinds of rumors came attached with her is special. Rumors raise the value of the product, after all.”
“Mm. I guess that’s right. For starters, she’s from one of the most noble families in the kingdom……”
“The rumor that she was the most beautiful girl on the continent went around once.”
“And she’s at the ripe age of 16!”
The merchants broke out into laughter all together.
The only person unable to go along with the mood was the young man. He had maintained a stoic face.
“…… Please excuse my going first. Good night.”
The man stood from the table and casually walked out.
The other merchants wished him a good night as well, but the young man received it absently. It’d be hard to look at it as a positive behaviour. Once the youngster was gone, the other merchants immediately voiced their opinions.
“Isn’t he acting a bit arrogantly? We invited everyone of the same trade like this so we could get to know our colleagues better, but if he behaves like that……”
“He really has no manners. He’s just running wild while relying on his father’s reputation. All the young folk are like that these days.”
It seems the way young people behaved in this world and my original world was the same.
I put on a smile and stood up.
“I wish to look around the marketplace early in the morning, so I shall be returning to my quarters for the day as well. Everyone, please have a pleasant night.”
“Ooh. Sleep well.”
After receiving the farewells from the merchants, I made my way out of the banquet hall. After instructing Lala to go outside the marketplace and prepare for any situation, I chased after the young man by myself. Not having gone far, the sight of the young man walking through the marketplace by himself came into view.
“Sir Giacomo. Sir Giacomo!”
“Yes……?”
The youngster turned to look at me.
He had eyes that appeared as if he was looking at a suspicious person.
I put a broad smile on my face.
“Would you, perhaps, like to share a conversation with myself?”
Let’s soften up this novice.
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▯Methoranum Peddler, Slaver Merchant, Giacomo PetrarchKingdom of Sardinia, Pavia Slave Market
In one corner of the market area, I was drinking beer with a strange peddler.
It was weird. I couldn’t really remember how I ended up drinking like this. It sort of felt like I had been possessed. Well, there are days in your life where you just blank out……
“I’m only telling you this, Sir Giacomo.”
The strange man in front of me made a bitter smile.
“To tell you the truth, the very act of selling and buying slaves is discomforting for me. It feels like I’m doing a crime against humanity.”
“Is that so? I think so as well.”
I happily responded to his remark. This was it. It was because of this characteristic of this man, that naturally made us start drinking together. I wonder if it was a coincidence or pure luck, but the wavelength between the man in front of me and myself was surprisingly good.
“Originally, I didn’t want to be something like a slave dealer. However, my father pressured me into it. He said that if I wanted to become a veteran merchant quickly, then there was no better job than a slave dealer……”
“You have a good father. But, there are many things in the world that are more precious than becoming a veteran. It would have been nice if your father had realized that.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying!”
Oh dear, I unintentionally raised my voice.
But it wasn’t strange. It was the first time I had ever met a person who connected with me so well, and in the center of the slave market at that. Was this not quite the eccentric encounter?
“My father is too attached to money. Yes, a merchant’s job is to make money and transport goods. I don’t have a problem up to that point…… But, aren’t slaves people too? Be it humans, elves, or sirens…… to treat them like some exhibit……”
“I understand. Ah, I see your cup is empty. Here, have another glass.”
“Thank you……”
I gulped down the wine that the man poured me. I felt a very pleasant drunkenness rising. It seems I really needed a person that I could openly talk to. It felt like I was drinking more heavily than usual, but it was okay. This was within my acceptable range.
And thus, time flowed. Before I knew it, I found myself leading the man to the quarters on my platform. ……Huh, why did I bring him here?
“How marvelous. To refrain from putting chains on most of your slaves, that is quite the humane consideration you hold for them.”
The man looked on in admiration at the slaves on the wagons.
Aah, that’s right. I remembered now. He asked if he could take a look at my slaves and I had gladly accepted his request. Even though you aren’t allowed to bring guests into this area…… It shouldn’t be too much of a problem, right? This person wasn’t a simple guest, he was my friend.
Now that I think about it, what was his name again?
“The majority of people only talk about it but never try it themselves. You are different, Giacomo. You are truly treating your slaves with warmth. I can see that with my own eyes. It is splendid.”
“Ahaha, you’re exaggerating.”
Oh well, something like names weren’t important. The most important part when judging a person was by their personality. This man was okay to be trusted. He possessed a good personality.
“Except, I don’t think every single slave would be satisfied.”
“Pardon?”
What could he be talking about?
It may not be a boast, but in my opinion, there was no other merchant that showed concern for their slaves as much as I did. I regularly gave them two meals a day, and obviously, the slaves liked me as well. But to say that they weren’t satisfied……
“Oh dear, that was rude of me. I was simply thinking while in the slaves’ perspective.”
The man smiled softly.
“Before being captured by us, did these slaves not live a rather peaceful life? They must have been able to move around freely and live their lives to their desire. I felt that they’d most certainly still have some dissatisfaction even if they were to receive their meals on time.”
“Think in the slave’s perspective……”
It was surprising. I had never considered this before.
I’m a free man and they’re slaves. We were clearly different. There was no reason for me to be forcing my own thoughts onto them when they were completely different from myself. But I had regarded it like that……
That it was more than enough to treat them with just the slightest bit of consideration. To think in the slave’s perspective? Was that possible? Was that not an excessively idealistic way of thinking……?
“How is it actually?”
While I was receiving a shock from the man’s words, he threw a question at me.
I perked up in alarm. What were we talking about? I couldn’t remember the context of our conversation. My head felt dizzy since awhile ago.
“What is actually……?”
“I’m referring to Miss Farnese. Have you already forgotten?”
Farnese? Was he talking about Miss Laura De Farnese?
No, since that family was deprived of their noble peerage, I couldn’t call her by using that family name anymore. But I couldn’t clearly remember if we really did have that kind of conversation. Oh dear, I think I drank way too much.
The man calmly explained.
“Did I not ask if Miss Farnese was satisfied with her life as a slave? Once I did, you, Sir Giacomo, said that you would personally show her to me.”
“Ah. That’s right. That’s right…… I forgot for a second.”
I still didn’t feel certain while I was responding.
Miss Farnese was a valuable of the highest quality. In order to prevent thieves from stealing her, I had hidden her at the deepest part of my platform. Even if he was my friend, I couldn’t show it to him lightly. I was starting to regret it. How could I have made such an irresponsible promise……
The other party immediately noticed my complexion and spoke.
“I see. It seems you’re actually conflicted to show her to me.”
“No, the truth is.”
“It is fine. Please do not feel any pressure from this. I was merely suggesting this with a light heart. I was just curious as to how you truly handled your slaves, and how your slaves sincerely felt towards you.”
The man smiled bitterly and muttered.
“I am the one who should be apologizing. Due to my curiosity, I had ended up forcing Sir Giacomo into a delicate situation. Let us return to the pub.”
“Ah……”
After seeing the man’s forlorn expression, an indescribable guilt built up in my chest. It was that. The other party had merely requested something of me while thinking of me as a friend. But what was I doing?
In the end, was I not treating him like a stranger? What made me different from those people at the banquet hall who whipped their slaves? I was the worst. If those merchants were the villains, then I was nothing more than a mere hypocrite.
“……No. Please wait. I shall guide you to where Miss Farnese is at.”
“Pardon?”
The man blinked his eyes in surprise.
“Is that truly okay?”
“Of course. There’s no problem if we’re to simply look and come back. Thankfully, Miss Farnese does not sleep at night, so it should be fine to visit now.”
“…… Sir Giacomo. If you feel any difficulty from my request, then you may refuse at any time.”
The man was giving me a worried look.
“It may have only been a few hours since we have met, Sir Giacomo, but I feel a friendship between us. I do not wish to burden a friend.”
I was moved by his consideration. I told him that it was okay, but the man was still being considerate of me and was trying to refuse. What was I possibly hesitating for in front of such a good-natured person!
A smile naturally formed on my lips; the touch of anxiety that remained in my chest had melted away like snow.
“No, it’s fine. I, myself, also want to hear Miss Farnese’s opinion. If anything, I’d like to request for you to come with me. If it’s possible for me to think while in the slaves’ position…… the things that I have been lacking up till now. I wish to discuss this with you.”
“……”
The man’s eyes widened.
Until eventually, he smiled. It was a very soft smile.
“Giacomo. You know how to respect others. That is a precious ability that comes from your heart. It’s not something just anyone can learn. I truly respect you.”
I was at a loss for words from his straightforward compliment.
Although I wasn’t able to say anything and my mouth was hanging agape, the man was simply smiling at me in silence. As if he was telling me that he understood everything about me…… No, it was as if he understood the amount of appreciation that I desired from the world, it was that kind of smile.
“Ah, well uh. You know.”
“Yes.”
The man grinned.
“Go ahead, Sir Giacomo.”
“That is…… T-This way. Please follow me.”
Feeling embarrassed, words wouldn’t come out properly.
For some reason, I felt too shy to look him in the face. Yes, it was because I was drunk. My emotions were going on and off because of the intoxication. There was no meaning beyond that. None at all. Really.
My head slowly became dizzier. It was becoming harder to keep myself steady. Even if I tried to pass it on while regarding it as my imagination, my vision was throbbing too much. It was weird. I shouldn’t be this weak to alcohol.
“J-Just a little further.”
My words started to become strained. My consciousness quickly drifted away.
“Just a little bit more and the cell that the Miss is confined in……”
“It’s alright, Giacomo.”
The man lightly supported myself, who was swaying left and right.
Once I rested my head on the man’s body, all my strength left my body.
While my eyes started to close slowly, I could hear the man’s voice.
“It seems you drank a bit too much tonight. I shall take responsibility and carry Sir Giacomo back to your quarters. That’s why, please rest easy.”
A voice that sounded like a mother’s lullaby.
Feeling comfort from that, I closed my eyes.
Despite the fact that the inside of my head was all disorganized, there was one truth that I was certain of. I had gained a friendship that would last forever……
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▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, DantalianKingdom of Sardinia, Pavia Slave Market
Well then, that was a breeze.
I laid the young man down on the floor and smiled wryly.
“You shouldn’t trust a person like me so easily, friend.”
I had effortlessly conquered this youngster who appeared to be around 19 years old. I had merely complimented him moderately, but he got excited on his own and crossed over willingly. It was so easy that it was ridiculous. Was it thanks to my talent, or was it because this fellow was excessively pure as a merchant……?
Of course, the answer was because I was talented.
I knew that very well.
If I ever spoke modestly then it was simply because of etiquette.
Additionally, his affection went up by an outrageous amount.
We had only spent 2 hours drinking together, but his affection points had shot past the 10s, breached through the 20s, and lastly reached the 30s. And yet, Lapis Lazuli’s affection was still at 10. Why was it that I received more affection from men than I did women? It must be the end of the world.
“Status.”
After muttering the word under my breath, a hologram appeared before me.
A type of status window that only appeared if the affection was over 20.
Name: Giacomo Petrarch
Job: Merchant(E)
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Politics: F Ο Charm: C Ο Technique: F
Affection: 32
Current Mental State: ‘Friend……’
What an adorable nature this is.
In a certain meaning, instead of a girl like Lapis Lazuli, whose intentions I couldn’t even begin to grasp, these kinds of people were considerably more complacent.
A type of person who did their best to respect others, despite being weak-minded and slightly naive.
Most people may ridicule these kinds of people as pushovers.
But at the very least, I didn’t.
If anything, I slightly envied them.
……Because I could never become like them.
“Just think of it as being caught up with a rotten person.”
I searched through Giacomo’s coat until I got my hands on a bunch of keys.
The keys made a metallic jingle as I took them out. The key to Laura De Farnese’s cell was most likely among these.
Stealing is wrong? That’s a given. I’m a bad person, so I did something like stealing normally.
I sold off something like guilt a long time ago.
As I lived my life, I came to the realization that the need to carry around something like that was non-existent.
I’m not sure what a masochist, who enjoyed receiving pain, would think. As a healthy and sensible sadist, I was out of the question.
“Mmmm……”
Giacomo Petrich let out a sound while in his sleep.
Since I had laced his beer with rather strong sleeping pills, he was going to be snoring away like that for a while.
I patted Giacomo’s head.
“Sleep well. Laura De Farnese is an individual that is too much for someone as good-natured as you to handle. All you have to do is dream happily and leave her in my hands.”
“……”
“It’d be more beneficial for Laura De Farnese, for you, and for me. You did nothing wrong.”
I wonder if he was able to hear my words while unconscious.
Giacomo Petrich’s face slowly became relaxed.
The sound of deep breathing flowed from between his lips.
Good.
The sweet child has closed his eyes.
It was time for the utterly crooked individuals to skulk around like specters in the night.
Holding the keys in my hand, I walked forward. My destination soon came into view. Between two wooden wagons an iron cage resided.
The moonlight gently poured down.
Despite the iron bars being bathed under the moonlight, it did not shine but withdrew further into darkness instead. It was as if it repudiated anything on the outside from approaching it, even mere luminescence.
There was a separate thing that was being shined upon by the light. It was not the cage, but rather the girl who was trapped within.
The girl was wearing dirty rags similar to what a beggar would wear. It must have been several days since she was able to last wash, since there was dirt smeared over her skin here and there.
And then, the moon in the night sky was covered by clouds for a slight moment before reappearing once more. The moonlight descended again upon the girl’s skin making her shine brightly.
“……”
I unintentionally held my breath.
Whoever were to come, they would all be overwhelmed by this girl’s beauty.
However, the reason why I had my breath taken away from me for an instant was not because of this girl’s beauty. Something completely different had moved me emotionally.
—The slave girl was reading a book.
In the middle of this boundlessly dreary cage.
Using the moon as her only source of light.
With a thick book spread open on the floor before her, she silently turned the pages with her blistered hands.
There was something breathtaking about this extraordinary sight.
If one were to ask why, then it was because there was absolutely nothing that could get in her way.
This may have been my first time seeing her, but I immediately understood everything.
The disgrace and shame from having fallen from nobility and into slavery, the countless number of times people had beaten and hurled abuses at this girl, the despair and sorrow for being thrown away by her own parents. Miscellaneous emotions had absolutely no effect on her now.
She was already a completed human.
Closed off.
In darkness.
“……”
I approached the cage with loud steps.
Despite having purposely made my footsteps resound, the girl did not raise her head.
She simply stared down with no expression on her face.
Was she so focused on the book that she couldn’t hear any outside noise?
I stepped between the moon and girl.
A dark shadow loomed over her. Now, for the first time, the girl slowly raised her head to match my gaze, with eyes that lacked even the smallest amount of light.
Laura De Farnese.
The human to go against the hero and turn the continent into a sea of blood.
To the girl who was abandoned by her family and the world, I spoke.
“—My name is Dantalian, the rank 71st Demon Lord.”
Without any pretense.
Petty tricks didn’t work against people with these kinds of eyes.
Always straight and honest, that was the best persuasion method in this sort of situation.
“De Farnese. I came here in order to obtain you.”
“……”
“I am wealthy. Thus I can easily buy you at the slave auction whenever I please. My witches and military troops are lying in wait around this marketplace, thus taking you away by force is also fully a possibility.”
It was not a lie.
Around this time, Lapis Lazuli was most likely preparing to start an assault at the outskirts of the market. The Berbere Sisters were with her. My forces were waiting at a moment’s notice.
11 witches of the highest class, and 9 soldiers of the highest class.
The defenses of this slave market was comparatively sturdy, but it was still nothing more than 70 guards. Utilizing the witch’s firepower, we could easily turn them all into grilled meat. Snatching Laura De Farnese away and disappearing leisurely was not difficult.
If I were to give the order then it was simple.
Despite that.
“But I desire to be acknowledged by you.”
I wanted to leave those as a last resort.
“Not by wealth or by force. Purely person to person, I wish to be accepted by you. Please judge me with your dim eyes. Determine if I possess the caliber to take you in. Evaluate myself factually.”
“……”
“Can you allow me the opportunity to take your test?”
A stillness settled over us.
The girl gazed vacantly at me.
We didn’t avoid each other’s gaze. Until the third cloud had covered the moon, time flowed silently.
The girl moved her lips.
“—Stop blocking the moonlight and move aside.”
It was an inorganic voice.
Like a machine unnaturally trying to imitate a human’s voice.
Regardless, I nodded.
In this location, this girl had perfectly established her own kingdom. The book was her everything. Thus, the act of covering the light meant that I was invading her kingdom. I promptly complied to Miss Farnese’s request and stepped slightly to the side.
Miss Farnese nodded.
“I express my thanks. You are a gentle person.”
“Respecting another’s domain is a basic, after all. Even if you were to become my vassal, I shall always respect your will like I have done now.”
“Vassal?”
Miss Farnese tilted her head.
“Not claiming as a sex slave, but as a vassal instead?”
“That is so. If I wanted to treat you like a slave, then I would have bought you with gold or have undertaken action in a violent fashion. But I judged that wealth and power was not required to persuade you. Laura De Farnese. I purely wish to obtain you.”
“If that was a love confession just now, then this young lady would surely have been moved.”
Miss Farnese placed her hand on her chin.
Referentially, Laura De Farnese had spoken in 4 different languages. Sardinian, Habsburgian, Franconian, and Ancient Helasian. It wasn’t merely a simple conversation. She was testing me on how far I could keep up with her.
I easily passed her fundamental test. No matter where I was, if it involved languages then I couldn’t be brought down. If anything, I was rather self-confident that this was my specialty.
From this point on was the main event.
“I am honestly thankful for your offer. The only other remaining fate left for this young lady is most likely being sold off to some wealthy noble and living a life as a tool for sexual release.”
“Aah. That is correct.”
Due to the information that I was able to obtain in
“The person to buy you in the auction will be Count Roswell from the Kingdom of Brittany. Publicly, he is praised as a man with a noble personality, but in truth, he is a sadistic pervert.”
“Hou.”
Did I pique her curiosity? Miss Farnese showed an interested response. Although, her eyes were still dim.
“Tell me in more details.”
“With pleasure. Count Roswell considers locking up fallen nobles, like yourself, in his underground torture chamber as a joy in life. Because his preferences are so vast, he enjoys things from candle wax torture to amputation.”
“Amputation? What is that?”
“There are many types of perverts in the world, Miss De Farnese.”
I smiled gently.
“Among them, there are a type of people who gain carnal desires for women with their legs and arms cut off.”
I always felt satisfaction whenever I was able to reveal the cruel reality to a girl who was ignorant of the world. You could say that it felt like I was helping a bit in that child’s education.
I’m a friendly man, after all.
“If you were to be sold off to Count Roswell, then there is no doubt that you will be gang raped in a prison cell, where even sunlight cannot reach, for 10 years. If you are unlucky, then you may experience abortion several times as well.”
“That is indeed the worst individual to become a slave of. I can endure being tortured by candle wax, but this young lady does not think she could possibly manage having her limbs severed.”
“Is it because you will be unable to read books?”
“Yes. I’ll be unable to read books without my limbs.”
Miss Farnese answered seriously.
I had assumed she was this kind of girl.
“But, oh Demon Lord. It’s rather hard to believe that you’re planning to use this young lady for something other than a sex slave. As you can see, this young lady is quite beautiful. Even if you were to take myself in as a vassal, how could this young lady be certain that you won’t be captivated by this lady’s looks later on and violate her?”
It was a Missy who said nonsensical things as if it was natural.
Being slightly put off, I creased my brows.
“……You. Do you, perhaps, often hear from others that you’re very conceited?”
“Pardon me. I am simply evaluating my own beauty objectively. Throughout my life, 4 times from my own father, 11 times from my step-brothers, and 2 times from my step-sisters, this young lady had almost been raped by them. This lady’s beauty is most certainly out of the ordinary. It is quite unfortunate.”
“What? You were almost raped by your step-sisters?”
Even the Demon Lord was surprised by this.
Miss Farnese spoke bluntly.
“There are many types of perverts in the world, oh Demon Lord. Among them are women who feel carnal desire for people of the same-sex. Adding to that, there are also women who have an incestuous desire for people of the same blood.”
Her line had the exact same cadence as what I had said earlier while trying to show off. It was her counterattack to me for having behaved like a grown-up.
I unintentionally ended up admiring this girl’s wit.
“……Impressive.”
“You do not have to compliment this young lady, since this young lady had come to terms with her own genius when she was 6 years old.”
“Oh, really? What a coincidence. The time I realized that I was a prodigy was at the age of 6 as well.”
“Mm, is that so? This young lady should add that she had become self-aware of her own superiority in intellect after having witnessed her siblings struggling to master a single geometry theorem even after the age of 10.”
“I became self-aware after seeing that my younger step-siblings were unable to learn even 2 languages by the age of 5.”
“Aah. It’s certainly difficult to understand why people struggle with foreign languages. Do you not naturally master a language after listening to it for half a year?”
“Precisely so. It’s something that I can’t understand.”
“Whenever this young lady sees a group of people confused about the simplest of truth, while this lady feels sadness and pity for them, at the same time this young lady feels more suspicion instead. How could they have possibly lived for this long with that kind of head? If this young lady was ever to be in their position, this young lady would have immediately killed herself.”
“The majority of people are born pitiful. It can’t be helped. There’s no other choice but for people like us to politely teach them what intelligence and etiquette are.”
“Oh Demon Lord. Is that not a tedious task?”
“It is incredibly tedious. However, despite everything, we are still a part of the community that resides on this world. Very occasionally, we need to know how to sacrifice ourselves for a good cause.”
“By ‘very occasionally’, do you mean once in a lifetime?”
“If it’s that much then that’s more than enough—”
Ah!
I involuntarily got absorbed into the conversation.
The expression that I had put on for acting purposes had grown faint at some point.
The chemistry between myself and this girl was good beyond imagination.
“Oh, right. Furthermore, this young lady occasionally does not speak and goes into her own world for an entire week. If we are to spend time together, then please take this into account.”
“Ah, I too occasionally shut myself in my bed and refuse to come out for 4 days at a time. On those occasions, I do hope that you will respect my personal life.”
“Of course. Also, this young lady tends to play the violin very loudly. Additionally, there are times this young lady will be driven by her enthusiasm and begin to sing as well. So if you are to live with this young lady, then you must consider this as well.”
“Violins are the pleasure of life.”
I nodded my head earnestly.
“Oh, do you think so?”
“The melody from a harpsichord flows too stiffly, so it gives off a strong mechanical feeling. But do violins not express the intense vibrations of life? Music is vibrations, and nothing besides vibrations. An oboe is quite marvelous as well, but if you were to compare the two, then the violin would still be on top.”
“This young lady agrees entirely.”
“……”
“……”
We stared at each other.
I carefully opened my mouth.
“Say. I’m not sure if it’s a misunderstanding, but……”
“Mm?”
“I’m not sure why, but it feels like you and I will be able to get along quite peacefully.”
“What a peculiar coincidence. This young lady shares the same opinion.”
“This may be abrupt, but I have a few questions. Who is the most intelligent person in the world?”
The girl promptly answered.
“Of course, it is the individuals, themselves.”
“What about a person who irresponsibly throws aside a promise and disregards others?”
“It’d only be appropriate to immediately cut off their limbs and sentence them to death.”
“When you see a person who is pure, what thought crosses your mind?”
“How they could possibly live life so foolishly, but at the same time, this young lady is also blinded by their pureness and can’t help but admit that they are a race more superior than this young lady.”
“What is love?”
“A suicidal act of ruin disguised as romance.”
“What is friendship?”
“The emotion that this young lady randomly grants people who do not bother her.”
“What is labour?”
“Proof that God does not exist in this world, and that it’d only be appropriate for it to be eradicated.”
“……”
“……”
The girl and I nodded at the same time.
You could readily say that it was a fateful nod.
“Miss De Farnese. I personally dislike a child-like body. I feel more sexual appeal from women with more robust breasts. So thankfully, the chances of myself being captivated by you is incredibly low.”
“Oh Demon Lord. This young lady prefers men who are well advanced in years, so at the very least 50, but if possible 60 years of age. This young lady detests men without any wrinkles. A man’s charm solely comes from their years of experience, thus, the chances of this young lady being seduced by you is very slim.”
We reached out our arms and grabbed each other’s hand tightly.
“—Perfect.”
“—Splendid.”
This had long ago transcended being compatible or not.
I was her other half, and she was my other half. We were born on the same planet, but due to the whim of the Gods, we were separated. Until finally, we were able to reunite with one another here today. There may have been an age difference between us, but that was no problem. A companion that shared the same ideology was something that overcame generations and age. The decalcomania soul of mine which I couldn’t find in my original world was now before me.
A sound effect rang and a notice window appeared.
Ο
[You’ve sincerely reached a communion with the other party.]
[Laura De Farnese’s affection went up by 15.]
Ο
In a single burst the affection points broke past 10.
It took no more than 150 days just to raise Lapis Lazuli’s affection up to 10, however it only took 15 minutes in Laura De Farnese’s case. What was with this difference in degree?
I see.
Lapis Lazuli was indeed a special case.
I used the key to unlock the cage while being pleased by my own competence.
With a clunk, the cage door opened. After undoing the metal collar around Miss Farnese’s neck, every problem was now beautifully taken care of.
“Mmm. This is refreshing.”
Miss Farnese walked out from the cage. She then spread her arms out towards the moon in the night sky. It appeared as if she was trying to measure how much of the sky she could capture into her arms.
Time flowed like that for a long time.
Shortly after, De Farnese turned her body towards me.
“—Lord.”
She lowered herself to one knee.
“As long as your lordship does not betray this young lady first, she shall follow your commands loyally. As long as your lordship respects this young lady, she shall devote her soul to you. Laura De Farnese. As the third daughter of the Duchy of Parma and the rightful heir of Piacenza, on this night, continental calendar 1505th year, 9th month, and 10th day, with all the Gods here as witness, hereby vow: If your lordship orders for this young lady to be your sword, then she shall become your sword. If ordered to be your head, then she shall become your head. If ordered to be your legs, then she shall become your legs. This young lady’s will, this young lady’s knowledge, and this young lady’s efforts shall eternally be devoted to your lordship. Lord, I only request of you to bestow upon this young lady a small freedom.”
“I sincerely vow that I will protect thy freedom.”
I gripped Miss Farnese’s hand and stood her up.
Though this was nothing more than a formal verbal promise, this was also the first promise to be established between myself and this girl.
I could not treat it with negligence.
“Dantalian, rank 71st Demon Lord, as the sacred and inviolable representative that symbolizes absolute dignity, and as a member in an order of 72, who rules over all demons, I shall promise: Thy devotion shall be rewarded. Thy loyalty shall be honored. Thy mistakes shall be forgiven. People that hold animosity towards thee shall thus be mine enemies. The houses that had led thee into ruin, thus the House of Medici in Florence, the House of Sforza in Milan, the House of Agilolf in Pavia— and if thou so desires, then even the House of Farnese in Parma. By any means necessary, I shall avenge thee.”
“……”
Did my promise come off as a surprise?
Miss Farnese blinked her eyes.
“Are you sane? They are authorities that have entire kingdoms perfectly under their control. Certainly, they are the ones that contributed in this body’s fall into slavery, but……”
“Do not worry. I shall not repeat my vow.”
I grinned.
“I shall drown the archduke of Florence in the ocean, I shall execute the duke of Milan by puncturing 36 holes into his body, I shall decapitate the count of Pavia and display his head at a crossroad, and finally, I shall leave the fate of the duchy of Farnese in your hands. 10 years. No. I shall achieve your revenge on all these people within 9 years.”
“……”
“How’s that? If it’s this much then does my intent not come across clearly?”
“……By the looks of it, it seems this young lady has decided to serve under a preposterous lord.”
Laura De Farnese lightly shook her head.
“This is troubling. If you’re to present me with this many vows then it would be unfair. This young lady shall make one more promise.”
“One more?”
“Aah. If your lordship truly achieves revenge on this young lady’s behalf, then, I, Laura De Farnese, will more than gladly devote even my freedom to you. I will become your slave on my own volition, and happily be your lordship’s possession.”
“Excellent. Swearing on the River of Styx.”
“Swearing on the River of Styx.”
I lightly kissed Miss Farnese’s forehead.
The scent of dirt was strong since she was unable to wash for a long period of time , but for some reason I was fine with it.
It felt like I had gained a little sister who was a spitting image of myself.
While I was at it, I gave her a hug. Miss Farnese’s small body came into my arms. She did not resist. Rather, she leaned her head against my chest. How cute—.
“There is something this young lady is curious about, milord.”
“Speak.”
“Where exactly do you plan to use this young lady? Truthfully, this young lady has no talent in politics. Albeit, this young lady considers her ability to acquire and interpret studies to be an inborn talent and can confidently boast it.”
“Ah. I plan to make you into my acting general. From now on, you shall repel foreign enemies as the supreme commander of my forces.”
“This young lady as the general?”
Miss Farnese’s voice became slightly higher.
It was probably because it was a role that she wasn’t expecting at all.
In the original history, the time that Laura De Farnese’s genius regarding military warfare bloomed was 10 years from now. It was after Count Roswell died of poisoning and she had competed for the authority over the count’s house. Until then, Laura De Farnese did not know what her true talent was.
Of course.
I was going to wake up that monster inside of her 10 years early.
“What? Was this out of your expectations?”
“Obviously. Although this young lady has read many art of war manuals, this young lady’s talent regarding military warfare is most likely non-existent. War is not something an amateur should step forward in. This young lady believes that it’s a task that must be evaluated very thoroughly before assigning to someone. Rather than that, this young lady recommends something like a curator of a library……”
I chuckled.
You were only saying that because you didn’t understand yourself fully.
In a tactical battlefield, if you were to face an enemy with the same amount of troops as yourself, your chances of winning was 100%. If your forces were smaller by 3/10, then you had an 80% chance of victory. If your forces were smaller by 1/2 then 60%. You were an extraordinary commander that grabbed hold of victory with these chances no matter what.
Even the hero had to mobilize an army 3 times the size of your own in order to defeat you. Laura De Farnese, you were the symbol of both fear and nightmare on the continent. Just by the mere news that you were participating in the battle would make countless number of cities raise their white flag in surrender.
A girl loved by the Goddess of War.
No, the Goddess of War who had become a girl.
That was the girl in front of me who was tilting her head.
“Trust my discerning eyes. You’ll shine brighter when holding the baton in a battlefield than you would reading books. I’ll make it so that history will remember your name.”
“Mm. This young lady is strangely being filled with confidence……”
Miss Farnese sent me a dubious look.
“To assign a 16-year-old lady to military affairs, it’s an unheard of allocation of personnel. Although this young lady believes that it’s beyond foolish, your lordship’s resolve is very stern. Even if this young lady ends up screwing up the military affairs, do not reproach this lady too much, okay?”
“You’re quite the cynic. I will say this again. Believe in me.”
While lightly patting Miss Farnese’s head, I took out a scroll parchment from my coat and tore it apart. Once I did, a red flame appeared and shot into the sky.
Time to escape.
Boooooom—
The flame exploded like a firework. The guards that were standing night watch must have seen it. The slave market slowly became rowdy. The security forces were moving around desperately trying to find the culprit who had shot the flare.
“……Hey! Where’d that flare……”
“……Damn it, it’s from Methoranum’s side……”
“……Cause those loaded pricks are out somewhere throwing their money……”
In the distance, we could hear people shouting and giving orders urgently.
Moments later, a group of four to five guards came rushing towards us. The torches they were holding illuminated the surroundings. The guards then noticed that Miss Farnese was outside of her cage.
“Hey! Why is a slave outside without permission?”
One soldier showed a bitter face. His eyes were full of caution. If need be, he’d probably stab me if he had to.
I put a smooth smile on my lips as I told them to calm down.
“I am a friend of that merchant from Methoranum lying over there. I was checking the quality of the slave with Sir Giacomo, but he had accidentally tore a magic scroll during the process. I apologize for starting a ruckus in the middle of the night, gentlemen.”
The soldiers glanced down at Giacomo Petrarch who was on the floor. Giacomo Petrarch was still sleeping like a log.
“What do you mean by checking the slave’s quality?”
“Well. If I were to give you a demonstration, then it’s this.”
I kissed Laura De Farnese’s nape.
And with my right hand I glided it over her body and smiled.
The guards opened their eyes wide as they gaped at us.
“In a few days, this slave will be sold to Count Roswell in the Kingdom of Brittany. The honorable Count specifically ordered for a luxurious sex slave. But gentlemen, would it not be a big deal if the slave turned out to be frigid?”
“T-That is so, but……”
“Aah. Be it a big deal or not. As you all may know, the Methoranum merchant is rather young so he’s quite ignorant in regards to this type of thing. That’s why, as his friend, I was kindly doing the check up for him.”
“……”
The soldiers exchanged glances with one another. It was apparent that they were conflicted. They wanted to arrest the culprit that had fired the flare, but at the same time, they were worried that they might be disrupting a very important task.
“Regardless, this is all work for the honorable count. I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but I’ll let you all in on a secret. Count Roswell’s name is quite high up in the kingdom for his perverted hobby. If by any possibility, the slave is unable to satisfy Count Roswell then who knows what punishment will befall us.”
It was convenient to use prestige in a situation like this. Count, count, count, by uttering this word repetitively I could scare off these guards. If you guys mess with me then a noble is going to be upset, you know? Are you okay with that? I was half threatening them like this.
“Ah, okay okay. But be careful with the flares, will you? There’s a chance that the market will get noisy.”
The soldiers took a step back. For commoners like them, a count was an authority far above their reach. Naturally they wouldn’t want to unnecessarily provoke someone like that.
Anyway, they should be arriving to pick me up soon……
The guards were hesitating.
“Sir. That, uh, for at least security reasons we have to stay here. There’s a rule that 2 soldiers must stick as supervisors whenever a slave is out of their cage.”
“Mm? You can stand guard outside the quarters.”
“Hehe.”
The soldiers gave a dopey laugh.
Their hostility was gone but now appeal had appeared out of nowhere. I didn’t understand why they were suddenly behaving like that. If males tried to act cute and appealed towards me, then all that’d do was make my stomach churn. They should show some consideration to my health.
The men sheathed their swords and rubbed their hands together.
“If possible, while you’re checking the quality of the flower can we watch from the side? Hehe, to tell you the truth, we often bantered with our friends about having our way with that little missy.”
“……”
Wow.
My face ended up distorting by their honest comment.
The way these guar