Episode 140
"Phew..."
Having emerged from the basement, Cania and I, with our robes pulled over our heads, crossed the chaotic slave market and entered a quiet room.
Actually, since the operation was completely finished, we could have just left, but I desperately wanted to clear my head, so it couldn't be helped.
"Young master, is something wrong?"
"...No, my mind is just a bit troubled."
As I spoke with a dark expression, staring blankly into the void with hollow eyes, Cania tilted her head.
"Is there a reason for your mind to be troubled? Although there were a few unexpected situations, didn't it end well for the most part?"
"...That's true."
This main quest was concluded quite successfully, considering the variables that occurred.
Successfully escaped all slaves from the market without a single straggler!
[Reward: Hero's equipment awakening level increase, System user's total mana increase]
Everything I wanted was accomplished, and I even gained unexpected benefits.
"Total mana increase, this really gives me the feeling of becoming a glass cannon."
The hero's power I possess is an ability that consumes life force to explosively release power in an instant.
Of course, the explosive power that can be released is proportional to the total amount of mana, and with this reward, my total mana increased quite significantly.
It seems to have increased by roughly 1.5 times compared to before, and if I swing a sword in this state, I should be able to cut through most objects.
However, I shouldn't become complacent.
Since my life force was reduced four times, using the hero's power has become quite difficult.
"Cania, let's organize today's events for a moment."
"Yes?"
"I just... want to clear my head for a bit."
As I leaned back in my seat thinking such thoughts, Cania, who had been staring at me fixedly, carefully took out a notebook from her bosom.
"Then, I will begin the report."
"Okay."
When I ask Cania for a report, she takes out her own notebook that she has never shown me even once when I said I wanted to see it.
Listening to her soft voice that follows, organizing my thoughts, complex thoughts naturally disappear and I become at ease.
"...Hoo."
But for some reason, today isn't like that.
Because my troubled mind shows no sign of calming down at all.
"First, the report regarding the slaves. Thanks to Irina's efforts, all slaves succeeded in escaping from the market."
"Then, by now the slaves are probably at the secret location we prepared in advance?"
"Yes, that's correct. All slaves are gathered in one place."
Cania, who answered like that, soon sighed and muttered.
"It was really joyful until we liberated the slaves, but now that the work is finished, my head starts throbbing thinking about the follow-up processing."
"...Cania, you don't have to take on everything."
Fully sympathizing with the difficulties of the one in charge of practical work, I spoke, and she threw a question at me.
"So, what will you do with the slaves?"
"Hmm..."
Hearing those words, I tapped the desk a few times with my fingers before starting to speak.
"People who have a hometown or family to return to, and those who wish to leave, I'll send them away."
"Then, what about people who have nowhere to go?"
"...I'll have to give them jobs."
At my words, Cania's expression became distorted.
"Young master, even if you filter them out... giving jobs to that many people is no easy task. Also, while arranging jobs, our identities could be exposed."
"What if there's a method that can give jobs easily while also having no concern about identity exposure?"
"Is there such a method?"
To Cania who asked with a puzzled expression, I answered with a smirk.
"We established a 'Welfare Foundation', right? If we have them work there, there's no problem."
"......Ah."
Cania, who heard those words, made an understanding expression, then soon asked with a doubtful expression.
"Was the order to establish a welfare foundation last time because of this?"
"There were complex reasons, you can consider it as being included among them."
As I said that and leaned back in the chair again, Cania, who was observing my mood, turned the pages of her notebook and continued speaking.
"Next, the report about Miho, whom you referred to as the 'mid-boss'."
"Yeah, was it handled well?"
"Yes, just a while ago, I confirmed that Clana and Irina have completely subdued her. Though it was a situation where we were conspiring from the beginning."
At those words, I fiddled with the 'Stone of Domination' whose connection had already been severed, and spoke.
"Just before she gets handed over to the Imperial family or the Church, I need to claim ownership and extract her. If it really doesn't work, I'll use force."
When I said that with a serious expression, Cania asked with a slightly stiff expression.
"Will you bring that Miho child into the house too? As for pets, Lulu and..."
"No, I won't bring her in. Bringing her in would be too burdensome."
Cutting off her words and giving a definite answer, Cania started to make a relieved expression.
"I'll have to get that guy a job at the foundation too. I think we need to have her work there and slowly investigate the abilities she possesses."
"What if she claims she wants to leave?"
"That won't happen. I know the reason she left her hometown."
As I said that with a smile, Cania also smiled with a somehow relieved expression and turned her notebook.
"Next... about that unidentified person who faced the Demon King's army executive."
"...Yeah, that unidentified person."
"If that unidentified person is really the Demon King... do you know the Demon King's identity, young master?"
"Hmm..."
At her question, I fell into thought for a moment.
"I can't be certain yet. But I think I know one person with high possibility."
"...Who is it?"
"That is..."
The moment I was about to tell Cania my speculation.
-Creeeek...
Suddenly the room door opened, and someone entered.
"Frey!!!!"
"........"
Looking at Peruche who opened the door and entered, we fell into deep silence.
"What are you doing here?"
"...What about you, why did you come here?"
My mind was already strange from holding the crying Peruche earlier, but seeing her smiling brightly made my mind even stranger.
"I came to be with you!"
"What?"
"I came to monitor you!"
Looking at Peruche who seemed to have changed her words for some reason, the expression of Cania next to me started to harden.
"...Coo."
I wondered why she was like that, but the owl, whose relationship with her was quite bad, was sitting on Peruche's shoulder.
"Cania! Serena just arrived, and she says she has something to talk to you about!"
"...Serena?"
"Hurry and go!"
As Peruche said that excitedly, the owl sitting on her shoulder and watching the situation made a crying sound as if it couldn't help it.
"C, coo."
"See! The owl is telling you to hurry too!"
Come to think of it, I had forgotten about Serena for a moment.
She was originally supposed to join the operation as soon as the sun set.
But the operation ended much easier and earlier than expected.
So she must have run at full speed as soon as the sun set, but she would inevitably be a bit late.
"Then, I'll be back shortly."
"No, I'll go toget..."
"You can't!!"
Thanks to that, I, who was about to get up from my seat to comfort the disheartened Serena, started to tilt my head as Peruche blocked my way.
"You stay here!!"
"...Why?"
"I have something to say!"
Peruche who said that was still wearing a bright smile.
'...Ugh.'
But why does my chest feel so choked?
"Cania, I'm fine, so go have your talk."
"But..."
"I'll follow soon."
Eventually, having permitted her private meeting, I said that to Cania and then started to quietly gaze at Peruche in front of me.
"Peruche, you see..."
I, who had been looking at her eyes for a while, was about to ask a question in a low voice, but.
-Creeeek...
".....?"
Suddenly Peruche changed her expression coldly and stood up from her seat, so I stopped what I was saying and started to observe her mood.
Until just a few months ago, she was the fool Peruche who used to bully me, but why is she so scary these days?
-Thud, thud.
Thinking such thoughts, Peruche slowly headed toward the door from her seat.
-Click!
"...Peruche?"
What on earth did she see, suddenly Peruche locked the doorknob.
What is this?
"Hmm..."
So I was bewildered in a situation where I couldn't understand anything at all.
"...Just for a moment, just for a very short moment, let me have a deviation."
Peruche suddenly raised the corner of her mouth and whispered quietly.
".........."
And, a short deep silence flowed.
"...It's a joke."
In the silence, Peruche suddenly makes a sad expression.
"What are you doing?"
Feeling both pitiful and suspicious about such Peruche, I carefully asked why she was like that, but.
"Because there's something more important than deviation."
Peruche, who had been biting her lips tightly, muttered in a low voice and returned to her spot in front of me.
"How we created these conditions... conditions that might never, never be created again... I can't throw them away for a momentary deviation."
"W, what..."
"Barely, just to get a moment's comfort... No, I said this. Get a hold of yourself. No, if I get a hold of myself, it'll be a big problem."
Her eyes were already seized by panic.
"Peruche, calm down."
"Yes! I understand!"
But, as soon as I spoke in a serious voice, her appearance returned to normal.
"Frey! From now on, it would be better to speak truthfully!"
"...About what?"
While I couldn't come to my senses due to the rapidly changing situation, Peruche spoke to me in a bright voice.
"It was you who involved Ruby in this incident, right!"
"Ruby? You mean that Ruby, the staff member at the orphanage where we were doing volunteer work?"
"You say you broke out in a cold sweat protecting Ruby who was walking around here today!!"
The moment Peruche said that with a very sulky expression.
[Special Quest: Identity Verification]
- Content: ???
[Reward: ???]
A system window floated before my eyes.
[You have achieved the unlock condition for the Special Quest!]
"This is...?"
Condition) Find the person suspected to be the Demon King's identity.
"How kind and fake Ms. Ruby is... to involve such a person, and make her escape from a monster! The Sun God won't forgive you..."
[Special Quest: Identity Verification]
Content) Verify the Demon King's identity with your own two eyes!
[Reward: Special system unlock, ???]
"...Ha."
Looking at the special quest that was given to me on the day I first received the special stack, with the question mark-covered parts now revealed.
[Warning: You cannot reveal the Demon King's identity to others! For detailed reasons, unlock the special system!]
'...Is this what you want, Evil God?'
Thinking of her, her ruby-colored eyes, I fell into quiet thought.
"Peruche? You said Serena arrived? I don't see her at all!"
Listening to Cania's puzzled voice coming from outside the firmly locked door.
.
Meanwhile at that time.
"...Hmm?"
Serena, who was driving the carriage furiously toward the slave market.
"That's strange."
Tilted her head and muttered.
"...I memorized the faces of all the people participating in the slave market, but there was no such person."
In her moonlight eyes, the figure of a girl with ruby-colored eyes, hurriedly running somewhere, was reflected.