Delfina’s Mistake
At Delfina Trading Firm, inside her room.
「How may I help you today?」
「How’s the thing I asked you yesterday going?」
「The problem with Neora Komenena, right?」
「Yup」
I nodded.
I asked Delfina to do something about Neora’s father.
The old fool was heavily in debtーーin other words, it was about money.
Thinking that I’d quickly have an answer for a problem regarding money if I asked Delfina, I paid her a visit.
In the first place, Neora and the slave soldiers were brought to me by Delfina.
Therefore, it was only natural that I’d come to her for help.
Having listened to the story, Delfina accepted my request with certain conditions.
I didn’t ask the content of the conditions, but, since she was technically my woman, I trusted her.
That’s why I came to ask about the progress.
「Zeno Komenena has been captured」
「Fast as always」
「He happened to be in my city」
「Your city?…… Ah, the one you bought from Aigina?」
Once, I came to visit Delfina and heard about something like that.
She purchased the whole city of Maronei from Aigina Kingdom.
I remember thinking, “As expected of her” at the time.
……Hm? Didn’t I meet someone back then?
Hmm, hmm.
I can’t recall, but I know that I did meet someone.
（It was a man, a middle-aged one at that）
Oh, no wonder I don’t remember.
I would never remember the face of some middle-aged dude that I’ve only met once.
（The man was some sort of important figure, though）
Was he really?
Oh well, I don’t give a damn. After all, it was a dude.
I turned back to Delfina.
「So he was in Maronei?」
「Yes. Neora was originally from Aigina. Her father has always lived in Maronei. It didn’t even take five days to seize him」
「That’s Delfina for you. And then?」
「I properly took care of it」
「Tell me the details」
「I banned him from borrowing any more money within Maronei and throughout all of Aigina. Zeno Komenena is from Aigina, so that step was important. Naturally, there’s also the chance that he could borrow money from abroad, but I’ve already taken care of that, so please rest assured」
「I see. Are you sure?」
「Kakeru-sama, please have some trust in me」
「……Right, it’s about money after all」
「Yes」
Delfina gave a graceful smile.
That last question was certainly unnecessary.
If it’s about money, then there’s no problem leaving it to Delfina.
「Thank you」
「It’s an after-service. Please come again」
「Yeah」
Having given Delfina a nod, I warped away using the Warp Feather.
I returned to Reius and went to the slave soldiers’ training ground.
The slaves had gathered there.
More than ten of them had formed a circle with Nana, Neora and Niki in the center.
Niki and Neora were facing each other, fully armed, while Nana was acting as the referee.
（It’s the First Platoon’s captain and the Second Platoon’s captain, huh）
Eleanor whispered. This looks interesting.
I stopped my feet and observed from a distance.
The moment Nana swung down her handーーNeora and Niki crossed swords.
Sparks flew, and the air trembled. Just looking at their shodachi’s was enough to understand that it was a fight between 2 soldiers.
As for the details, Niki was one-sidedly attacking, while Neora was defending.
（It’s a 7:3 fight, it seems）
「Is Niki at that big of a disadvantage?」
（She’s well-trained, but only in one-on-one situations. However, she’s been practicing group battles, so those movements are for protecting her surroundings）
「Heh」
（What a good girl; she listened to your order and changed her fighting style）
「I guess I’m not letting the First Platoon sleep tonight」
In the past, the First Platoon separated from the others and suffered a crushing defeat.
After bedding the whole First Platoon and making them mine, I made them fight for my sake, and they’d been doing just that without looking back.
Afterward, they started anew and began to train themselves.
I believe that the changes in Niki were brought out by that.
Just as Eleanor had said, she was cute and praiseworthy.
The moment Neora saw the opening in Niki’s rapid attacks, she used her special technique, broke her balance and delivered a finishing blow toward Niki’s neck.
Eleanor’s prediction was right on the money.
After the mock-battle, I approached the slaves.
However, before I could reach them, a man appeared from the side and walked toward them.
He had a hunchback; I felt like I’d seen him somewhere before.
……who’s this guy again?
（It’s the debt collector, you idiot）
Eleanor snapped.
Right, the guy who came to ask for money from Neora.
It really is difficult to remember a dude.
……Wait, hang on. Why is he even here?
While I was thinking about that, the guy walked up to Neora with a smile and said something.
Neora’s face changed color. I approached them.
「I’m not lying, y’know? Here, take a look at this. Isn’t that your pops’ signature? There’s the date, too」
「Yesterday……」
The guy held out a sheet of paper before Neora. Her face turned pale.
「Oi」
I interrupted their conversation.
「What are you doing?」
「Ohh, if it isn't her beloved Master. I’ve come to collect what she’s borrowed. Here, look at this, it says that the money will be repaid the next day, yeah?」
The man fluttered the IOU paper before me.
A bunch of text was written on it, and there was also a signature at the end.
I looked at Neora.
「Is this legitimate?」
Neora nodded, her face still pale. Then she squeezed the words out.
「The signature……is real」
What are you doing, Delfina?
「What will you do? Are you gonna pay for her again?」
「That’s……」
「I just need to pay right? Just wait」
For now, I need to shoo this guy away, then I can go ask Delfina about this.
With that in mind, I tried to take some money out of my dimensional storage, butーー
（Hold up）
Eleanor stopped me.
「What?」
（Look at him. He’s acting strange）
「Strange?」
（Use me）
While I was wondering what was this all about, an image was transmitted to my mind.
「Like that, huh」
I did what the image told me.
I extended the aura and turned it into an arm.
It was the same technique as when I exterminated Kushifos.
The black aurarm took hold of the man’s face and lifted him up.
「What the hell are youーーguhaah!」
He suddenly began to suffer.
He held his head and struggled around.
Finally, he fell to the ground.
However, Eleanor’s black aurhand was still holding on to somethingーーit was holding a black soul.
（This is it）
「……Was him possessed?」
（Umu. This feeling……I remember it. I see now, it’s similar to that time when you were helping Aura）
「That lizard woman, huh」
I remember she was a beauty before transforming.
When I looked at it, the atmosphere around that black soul resembled that lizard woman.
（Seems like something’s going on……）
Eleanor whispered in an unusually serious tone.
Looking at the black soul, I had the same thought as her.
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