Chapter 79: Suspiciously Rich (5)
Chapter 79: Suspiciously Rich (5)
“Yandel, you…! How could you… how could you do this to me! Of all people… you’re the one person who shouldn’t do this to me!”
Oops. I made Elisha cry.
The moment she stepped into the carriage, Elisha began shedding fat tears, her face twisted with vivid fury.
The other elves, who had been shooting me looks of pure loathing ever since the mention of an ‘Elf Ranch,’ were momentarily stunned into silence, staring blankly at her.
Iris, the former Tower Lord, hurriedly began stroking Elisha’s back to comfort her.
“M-my disciple. What is the matter? Just who is this man that you weep so sorrowfully? …Wait, Yandel? Could it be…?”
As if finally realizing my identity, Iris looked back and forth between Elisha and me with a look of utter bewilderment.
But instead of giving her master a confirmation, Elisha continued to pour out words of resentment, her eyes brimming with a sense of betrayal.
“I… do you know how well I treated you?! I even put my life on the line in the dungeon just because I trusted your word!”
“Um… Elisha? Just calm down for a second and—”
“Don’t act friendly and call me by my name!”
“No, first of all, I’m the master and you’re the slave, right? Calling you ‘Lady Glenziel’ like before would be a bit weird, wouldn’t it?”
“…The only reason I ended up like this is because of you! It’s because I tried to protect you… because I endured those foul rumors that I ended up like this!”
“Well, that is true, but…”
“I—!”
She shouted at the top of her lungs, her eyes wide. But the moment our gazes met, the indignation and sorrow in her eyes flickered into a hollow sense of futility.
Then, as if all her fury had vanished, Elisha collapsed like someone who had reached their absolute limit.
“I… I thought you came to save me.”
“…….”
“Because of everything I did for you… I thought you would help me when I was in trouble… hic. That’s what I thought… sob… But an Elf Ranch? Why… why would you… waaaaaah….”
Now she was wailing like a child.
Her beautiful face was crumpled in distress, and her glamorous makeup began to run, dissolved by her tears.
Meanwhile, her jewelry sparkled tactlessly, and the see-through dress—which revealed her entire body except for the vital areas—exuded a strange, decadent charm.
…It was the same with Carla; the people at the auction house really know how to dress their merchandise.
Elisha’s sudden outburst of sobbing was difficult to watch.
Truthfully, I wanted to tell her right then and there that everything I said to the manager was just a show, but…
This carriage was also something borrowed from the auction house.
It wouldn’t be surprising if there were eavesdropping magical tools installed inside.
I had been operating under the assumption that the Church of Boiling Silence was watching me; I couldn’t let everything go to waste just because I had a momentary lapse in resolve.
I grabbed Elisha’s cheeks with my index and middle fingers, forcing her head up.
Then, staring intently at her ruined face, I spoke in a satisfied tone.
“Nice. This is the face I wanted to see.”
“…What?”
“I never liked how you always acted like you were better than everyone else, bossing people around.”
“…….”
“Now you’re actually worth looking at.”
At those words, something seemed to snap inside Elisha, and the light died in her eyes.
Even though her eyes were open, her dull gaze reflected nothing, poking at my conscience.
Damn, I feel so incredibly guilty right now!!!
However, I did my best not to show it, maintaining a cynical expression on the outside.
“Still, the noise is getting annoying. [Stay quiet until we reach our destination.]”
At that command, Elisha shut her mouth tight and hung her head low.
…Once we reach the next town, I’ll send the carriage back immediately and tell them it was all a lie.
I already had a plan in mind.
I could just say that I can’t take outsiders to my headquarters and that since I’ve already achieved the goal of evading pursuit, they should leave.
If the coachman is just a simple laborer, he’ll be happy to finish early and head back. Even if he’s someone trying to monitor my movements, he’ll have no choice but to leave since he won’t have a valid excuse to stay.
While I was mentally apologizing to Elisha, begging for just one day of patience, Iris—who had been cradling Elisha with her short arms—spoke up.
“You… no, Master.”
“What is it?”
“I have one request.”
With that opening, Iris knelt directly on the floor of the carriage.
No, she didn’t stop at just kneeling.
She slowly bowed her head until her forehead hit the floor, her hands folded politely.
A full kowtow inside a moving carriage.
It was only possible because this was a high-end carriage laden with space distortion and balance-maintenance magic, making it spacious and steady.
As I looked down at Iris’s slender back prostrate at my feet, the other elves followed suit and bowed to the floor.
Only Elisha, still in shock, flinched and looked around.
“……!”
Elisha tried to say something, but because of the command I gave earlier, only muffled grunts came out.
I could guess what she wanted to say, though. I felt pretty much the same way.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“As I said, I have a request, so I have simply taken the appropriate posture for it.”
Iris replied calmly, lowering her head even further.
“Regardless of the reason, the rest of us actually attempted to summon a spirit, so it is only natural that we face this fate. However, Elisha is different.”
“Go on.”
“As you seem to have realized, Master, Elisha was never meant to be a slave.”
“What does that matter? She’s my slave now, regardless.”
“…That is true. Therefore, this lowly slave only makes a humble plea.”
Iris shuffled forward on her knees and carefully kissed the top of my foot.
“I will do whatever you command, Master. Not just me, but all of us. If you tell us to spread our legs, we will. If you demand our secrets, we will surrender them. If you tell us to bear children, we will. …So please, could you find it in your heart to exclude Elisha from your plans?”
“Hmm.”
So that’s why she asked me to buy her along with Elisha.
She really does cherish Elisha. I didn’t expect her to go this far.
As I looked back and forth between Iris and Elisha with a hint of curiosity, Iris hurriedly added more, perhaps misinterpreting my gaze.
“B-besides, if Elisha is excluded, the gender ratio is perfect! Furthermore, those two are a married couple! The remaining one is their son!”
“Huh? So an entire family became slaves?”
“Yes. So, wouldn’t they adapt better to the ranch you intend to build?”
“And what about you?”
“Among High Elves, I was born with an abundance of vitality, so I am exceptionally sturdy. …I will not break easily even if handled roughly, so do not worry.”
Iris spoke with a feigned air of stoicism.
Elisha looked horrified and tried to grab her master’s shoulders to pull her up, but Iris insisted on kissing the top of my foot once more.
Then, Elisha clung to my other leg.
“……!!”
She had cast off her previous lethargy; she shook her head frantically with teary eyes, her desperation palpable.
Well, at least she’s got some energy back… I guess?
I shrugged and nodded.
“It’s a bit annoying for a mere slave to demand something from their master… but fine. I’ll think about it. Either way, there will be a punishment for what happened today.”
“That is enough, my Master.”
“Whatever. I’m going to rest now, so be quiet. [Don’t cause any trouble in the meantime; just sit still and rest.]”
“I shall obey your command.”
Only after issuing the command through the Slave Imprint did I tap the thigh of Carla, who had been watching the scene with great interest.
“Pillow.”
“Ah, yes!”
Carla immediately moved aside to make room, then patted her soft thighs with a grin.
“Right here!”
“Good. Wake me up when we arrive.”
“Okey-dokey!”
I felt like if I tried to say anything more, it would just end up being more bullying toward Elisha, so I decided to just do nothing.
*
The following evening. When we stopped at a reasonably quiet, reasonably large town, I told the coachman he could leave.
Fortunately, he seemed to be just an ordinary worker; when I gave him a generous tip, he practically skipped away in joy.
I found the best inn in the area, rented two rooms, and gathered everyone in the room I intended to use.
“Carla.”
“Yes, Master.”
I only called her name, but as if she had been waiting, Carla cast detection magic.
As Carla’s mana lightly swept through the fairly spacious room, the elves—excluding Elisha—wore expressions of utter confusion.
I suppose it makes sense. They probably expected me to order their mana cores destroyed one by one, but seeing the slave I already had using magic so freely must have been baffling.
“I checked the room next door too, and it seems fine, Master. It doesn’t look like anyone is watching us or that any magical tools have been installed.”
“Really? That’s a relief. Just in case, let’s use Silent so our voices don’t leak out.”
“Hehe. I already took care of that. You can speak freely now, Master.”
At Carla’s confirmation, I cleared my throat and spoke to the bewildered elves.
“Ahem. First, I’ll tell you the most important thing. Most of what I said on the way here was a lie.”
“……! ……!!”
“[You can speak now, Elisha.]”
“W-what! What do you mean by that all of a sudden! You’re making it sound like you were only being mean because you were worried about being overheard!”
Her voice was filled with anxiety and distrust, as if she had lost all faith in me in just a single day.
That’s cold.
After agonizing over how to best explain the situation to Elisha, I finally spoke.
“Ta-da! Surprise!”
“…….”
Hey, don’t look at me like that.
I couldn't think of a better line.