Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: A Poorly Raised Person
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Rishir explained everything that had happened in detail to the stunned Fienne.
That day, the high-ranking adventurer with the skin condition whom he'd met after getting ditched—Salana—turned out to be the master of the assassin guild.
Following her, he'd found a shaman there, who was actually a necromancer.
"So I purified them all."
The magic tower master happened to be there and took an interest in me, so she gave me a tour of the tower.
Then I noticed the black mage was using mind interference on the tower's people.
"So I purified them all."
Later, I ended up sparring with the tower's genius mage and won an ancient grimoire as a prize, but it turned out to be an evil artifact brimming with malevolent power.
"So I purified that too. And after messing around like that, I got back to the inn yesterday, and I had a feeling. So I focused all night gathering my power, and boom—here we are."
"Necromancer...? Assassin guild master...?"
Fienne blinked vacantly, at a complete loss.
Where was she even supposed to start being shocked?
At the fact that he'd gone through all those events in such a short time?
At how he'd casually brushed off incidents that a normal person might never encounter in a lifetime?
At how he'd achieved in the blink of an eye what would take a regular person at least ten years?
Or at herself, for immediately buying into this utterly unrealistic tale?
Fienne started to feel a creeping dread.
-Oh, this? I just woke up and suddenly I was 6th circle.
-A good night's sleep helps with growth, after all.
Was this her near future—having such an inane conversation with that man?
That's when Fienne's gaze shifted to Rona, sitting beside her.
"..."
The rough-looking girl was listening raptly to Rishir's story with sparkling eyes that didn't suit her at all.
"Rona? What are you thinking?"
"Huh? Oh. Nothing."
"That doesn't look like a 'nothing' face. Come on, spill it."
"..."
Rona fidgeted reluctantly, but with Rishir showing interest, she shyly opened her mouth.
"No, it's just... I suddenly feel so proud."
"?"
"Of my master. Realizing he's such an incredible person."
"...?"
What was with this human—no, this succubus?
Had she finally given up on those non-feminine appeals?
What was this heavenly bitch vibe?
No, wait—my master?
My master?
"Rishir. What did you do to Rona?"
"Nothing much?"
"Nothing much? So why does a mute succubus from just days ago look like a girl in love for the first time?"
"Wh-wh-wh-what are you talking about!"
Rona shot up from her seat.
She belatedly reverted to her tough expression and spoke in a gruff, masculine tone.
"I think you misunderstood what I just said! Look, I'm a slave, right? And since I'm a slave anyway, isn't it better if my master is someone powerful? You know, like how a stable in a mansion beats the master bedroom in a shack—"
"Right, exactly. As Rona says, if her master is a great guy, that's wonderful for her."
"That's what I mean! Right? No—hey! That's not it!"
Fienne toyed with Rona, ignoring her protests entirely.
Soon, Rona's face flushed beet red as she slammed something down on the table emphatically.
"I'll show you I'm not just some wench—I'm a slave!"
"?"
"?"
What otherworldly sentence was that?
Overwhelmed by the bizarre vocabulary combination they'd never heard before, the two watched as Rona shoved the money pouch she'd slammed down toward Rishir.
"Here! Take it!"
"Suddenly? I said it was fine back then."
"Heh heh! Once you see how much is inside, you'll change your mind."
"Huh? Oh. Whoa, this pouch suddenly got heavy. What happened?"
"Kukuku. What happened, you ask? Some noble asked me to pour his tea, so I did, and he said it was great and tipped me big. Then he was so moved by my eloquence in conversation that he tipped even more!"
"...Rona? Didn't you say you were working at a cafe?"
"Yeah!"
"And that generous tipper... was a guy, by any chance?"
"Yeah. So what."
Was this really the same monster who'd fleeced people of all ages and genders?
Fienne sighed in exasperation.
"Rona. Let me be clear: you can't accept money like that."
"Hee hee. Look at you, jealous? Jealous?"
"Rona, that comment's a bit reckless. If Fienne wanted, she could buy a whole castle just from tips."
"..."
At Rishir's words, Rona's demeanor sobered as she took a fresh look at Fienne's face.
This was the pure white lady who, while some yokai charmed wandering adventurers, had bewitched an entire noble house and made them her thralls.
"What's that about? Mocking me?"
"No? I was praising your charm."
Rishir gazed at Fienne with clear, unwavering eyes.
"Ugh. If you're gonna do it, do it right."
The girl in white scowled in annoyance, but her expression didn't seem purely displeased.
"Anyway, back to the point. Rona, why you can't take that money—suppose one day, when your shift ends, that guy comes to the shop and asks you out to dinner."
"Pass."
The tough girl knew how to curse with her face alone.
"Right? You'd hate it? But what do you do? You've already taken his money."
"It's just a tip."
"Who gives tips that huge? It's a personal gift disguised as a tip. Sure, accepting it doesn't obligate you to go along. But guys who try to buy a girl's favor with money are mostly scum. If you refuse, he'll hassle you with every excuse in the book. Think you can handle that?"
"..."
Rona glared sullenly at the pouch.
"Fine. I'll return it."
"Think he'll take it back nicely?"
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
"Log it as a prepayment for the shop."
"What?"
"Say you thought it was advance payment for the cafe. Those types with their pride won't say a word."
"...Oh."
Rona nodded unwittingly.
Rishir looked at Fienne with eyes full of admiration.
"As expected..."
"As expected? What does that mean?"
Rishir slyly turned to glance at Rona.
"..."
The tough girl seemed more dejected than expected, unable to tear her eyes from the pouch.
Seeing that, Rishir remembered something and pulled out his own pouch.
It was the SSS-grade pouch from the Great Forest Princess.
He took out a few gold coins and handed them to Rona.
Rona's eyes widened.
"Why give these to me—"
"You just said it yourself. Since you're a slave anyway, better if your master's powerful."
Rishir grinned playfully and flicked a coin.
"That's a perk of having a powerful master, right?"
"No, even so—I'm your slave, I can't take money from you—"
"Call it an investment. You said it, right? You want to train with sword or magic to regain your strength. Just like a powerful master is better, a powerful slave is better too, no? Use it for something. Tell me if you need more."
"..."
Rishir forced the gold coins into Rona's uncertain hand.
She stared at them briefly, then gripped them tightly as if they were precious.
"Got it... I won't let you down..."
What was this?
Fienne, who'd watched the exchange, tensed her eyes.
So that's why the succubus slave suddenly turned into a lovestruck girl.
What master treated their slave like that?
Even a young master with impure thoughts toward his maid wouldn't go that far.
And he seemed oblivious, which made it worse.
"Rishir, you—"
Just as Fienne was about to speak.
"Here. Fienne, take this too."
Rishir handed gold coins to Fienne as well.
Fienne moved to refuse immediately.
...But she noticed he was giving her one more coin than Rona.
Ahem.
Fienne cleared her throat and turned her head away from Rishir, feigning disinterest.
"Why me? Just so you know, I'm way better off than Rona. Maybe even better than you."
"Come on. No need to keep score between us."
"...And what are we, exactly?"
Fienne shot him a sidelong glance laden with unwitting expectation.
"What else? Engaged."
His playful smile reminded her of their first meeting, crumpling her face.
"You're such a tease."
"Tease? Compared to the girl who tried to mind-control me?"
"Ugh... Urgh!!!"
She was so mad—what could she even do?
Fienne stomped her feet and fidgeted with her arms.
To Rishir, she looked like a small white bird flapping about.
"Anyway, fine! I don't want to owe you materially!"
"Feels that way? Guess I'll have to buy you a separate gift then."
"Flowers? What's the point of something so cumbersome?"
"?"
Did I mention flowers?
"Anyway, I'll get you a bouquet of lilies and baby's breath, so take it. I'd feel bad for the flowers if you tossed it."
"?"
Did I say lilies and baby's breath bouquet?
"What? That look. You said it yourself."
"R-right?"
Creeeak. Rishir nodded awkwardly.
It was the moment the True Ancestor's mental interference pierced even his Normalization power.
Soon, the food they'd ordered began filling the table.
The meal started amid the boisterous atmosphere.
[The body cannot withstand the mana]
[The body has reached its limit]
"Sniff—sniff...! Oh, excuse me. Why's my nose running like this."
"Ugh, really. We're dining with ladies here—"
"Ladies? I've told you over and over, I'm—"
It was the moment Fienne and Rona both frowned at Rishir's sniffing.
Their faces went pale as they looked at him.
"R-Rishir, you're—b-blood! Blood!"
"Blood?"
"You're bleeding!!! That's not snot!"
"Huh?"
Rishir touched under his nose.
Before he knew it, his side of the table was drenched in blood.
"Fienne, calm down first! If I just lick my lips—"
As he spouted nonsense like it was nothing, his body tilted sideways and he collapsed to the floor.
Fienne and Rona rushed to him in shock.
Fienne recalled the lucky coin duplication incident(?) and calmly used her power to bolster his mental strength.
But unlike before, his complexion didn't improve—it wasn't a mental issue.
Cough!
Blood mixed into his cough.
"Rishir! Rishir!!! Pull yourself together!"
"My mind's fine—but my body won't move—"
Fienne's face drained white in an instant.
Rona beside her was the same.
Her breathing quickened from the shock.
What do I do? Call a priest? B-but will it be okay? What if the priest recognizes me...?
As she panicked, Rishir coughed up more blood.
Rona approached him unknowingly.
And reached out her hand.
Her head knew she couldn't do anything—
But it was instinct.
"...Huh?"
As a result.
A warm glow like sunlight radiated from Rona's hand.
It gently enveloped Rishir's body.
"?"
"?"
What the...?
Rishir and Fienne forgot the emergency and stared dumbly at the former succubus.