Chapter 75: Those Who Have Seeped into Fermaton's Darkness (5)
Chapter 75: Those Who Have Seeped into Fermaton's Darkness (5)
The characters in P.A.O. are incredibly diverse.
Just mentioning that there are Monmus characters should give you an idea of exactly how diverse they are.
Among those countless characters, there are those called "Human Rights Characters"—units so essential for their performance alone that people say, "If you don't have this character, you're not even human."
And right here.
A "Human Rights Character" was standing before my eyes.
Why didn't I think of her?
Actually, it made sense that I hadn't.
According to the main story, she was a character who appeared much later. Whether as a "merchant" or a "slave trader," she wasn't supposed to show up this early.
Charlotte Weissgarten.
A 3-star.
While other characters were only considered "Human Rights" or "Citizenship" tier when wearing special skins like [Bunny Girl] or [Swimsuit], she was a character who boasted 3-star specs the moment she was released.
To describe her concept and profession, she was—
"Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am the representative of Nine-Tail, Charlotte Weissgarten."
"I am Ruji Fermaton, the Young Lord of the Fermaton fief."
"Hehe, is there anyone in Fermaton who doesn't know Lord Ruji?"
She was the quintessential Empire-style woman: blonde hair and blue eyes.
She wore a gothic outfit—the classic "Gothic Lolita" concept.
That’s right.
This character, much like Astarotte, was created by the developers specifically to drain players' wallets.
While she wasn't quite one of the "Three Great Sovereigns of the World," she was definitely hovering right on the edge of that tier.
To begin with, her outfit was Gothic Lolita.
Everyone has clothes that suit them, and Charlotte definitely pulled off the look.
Her profession was also a perfect match.
Not her role as a merchant, but her class as an adventurer—
"Manager. Are you a mage of that variety?"
"A mage of that variety?"
"I just have a feeling."
"...Hehe."
A mage of that variety.
Meaning those among mages who belonged to a group with a somewhat unsavory reputation.
"A Necromancer."
A black mage.
"As expected of Lord Ruji. They say your eye for women is extraordinary, and you've seen through my abilities in an instant."
"It was just a hunch."
Charlotte simply stared at me with a smile.
It wasn't quite a look of surprise at how I'd discovered her identity as a Necromancer rather than a merchant.
It felt like she was scouting me, but something was off.
Wait, is this one of those 'crossed wires' patterns?
My intuition was telling me something.
That woman was currently scouting me from a completely different angle.
While I was trying to figure out how she, as a member of the Empire's Weissgarten family, was evaluating me, Charlotte was harboring suspicions in a direction entirely different from my concerns.
If there was a reason for that...
"The reason I visited today is certainly not to enjoy the company of men."
"Ah."
Charlotte's eyes widened.
"Is that true?"
"Yes. I'm not into men. In fact... I'm rather averse to things between men."
Fortunately, Lambert wasn't here.
Only Laura, Yurdias, and Charlotte's assistants standing behind her were in the room.
"I assumed you were like the former Count. It was a hasty assumption. My apologies."
"It's fine. In exchange, though."
"In exchange?"
"I'd like to take a look at some female slaves."
"Hmm."
The corners of Charlotte's mouth quirked up.
It was a look that said, 'Of course, that's more like it,' but I didn't mind at all.
I could feel Laura fiddling with her bunny girl tail behind me, but honestly, I was used to being looked at like that.
Because I'm Ruji.
If Ruji Fermaton was buying female slaves, what would he use them for?
To have some fun, obviously.
She was a madam, and I was a man who had come to a brothel.
A mutual sense of disdain was bound to be mixed in.
But.
Surely even if a 3-star character is a madam, she's still a virgin, right?
Since she was a Human Rights Character, she was almost certainly a virgin.
And since she was a virgin, I could forgive her for looking at me that way.
Once she eventually spread her legs and accepted my cock, that is.
"Do you need women to be treated like slaves, or do you need actual slaves?"
"I'd like female slaves who would die for me if I told them to."
"We have more than enough of those. I can sell any woman as long as she has market value. However, you'll have to pay a corresponding price..."
Charlotte trailed off and shrugged.
"Not that I think Lord Ruji would be unable to pay. Haha, what kind of slaves are you looking for? There's such a wide variety that if you just say 'women,' you'll be looking at them until tomorrow."
"Do you have a simple catalog?"
"I'm afraid we don't keep records of slaves. If you're looking for a woman to enjoy for a night, I can recommend other places..."
Had I been too blunt about that side of things?
I cleared my throat, reflecting on my own blunder.
"Then, how much for you?"
"......Wow."
Charlotte's eyes sparkled as she smiled, and her subordinates behind her momentarily flinched as if they were about to step forward.
"What exactly do you mean by that?"
"I asked how much money it would take to buy you."
"......I place infinite value on myself. I'm not sure what my market value would be, but perhaps we'd have to put it up for auction?"
"Then it would effectively be the maximum amount the wealthiest person in the world could pay."
"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or if you're being serious, so I'm a bit confused."
Charlotte looked genuinely bewildered.
"Excuse me, did you really come here to buy me as a slave?"
"Rather than a slave, I was thinking of bringing you in as a woman for my knight order."
I pointed to the two knights behind me.
"You'd have the chance to have sex with me whenever you want, and the opportunity to conquer the Infinite Labyrinth in the safest way possible. What do you think? Care to become a member of my knight order?"
"Hmm.... You're saying you're looking for slaves to use as members of your order?"
"There's that, but seeing you made me want to recruit you. No need to overthink it. I'm asking you out on a date."
"I can't tell where the joke ends and the truth begins."
Charlotte calmly rejected my request for a date.
"Please state your business. I will respond seriously from now on."
"I intend to look through the female slaves and buy any who are suitable to serve as knights."
"And if there's someone who isn't a slave?"
"Then I'll recruit them with the treatment they deserve."
"...In other words, you came to look at slaves, but you saw me and decided to scout me instead?"
"Yeah."
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
This wasn't a gacha game with guaranteed summon tickets, so there was no harm in making an offer to a potential ally.
"I'll acknowledge everything about you as you are. You'd just need to enter the Infinite Labyrinth with my knights as a member of my order."
"...Could we speak privately for a moment?"
"Why not."
I immediately gave the order to my two companions, and they stepped back to keep watch on the perimeter.
The people behind Charlotte also exchanged words with her before retreating a significant distance.
"Silence."
Charlotte lit the candles on the table.
Five candles flared up in a golden hue that matched her hair, and she stared at me with calm eyes.
"I've cast a barrier. Our conversation won't leak out."
"Convenient. I happen to need that kind of power."
"I am a merchant and a slave trader at the same time. You brought Sir Lambert, so you must know that well. What is it you want from me?"
So the 'real' talk was starting now.
Well, since I'd been pushing so hard from the start, Charlotte had felt the confusion and decided to get straight to the point.
"Shall we start with the conclusion?"
"I'm listening."
"I want to sell those who become enemies of Ruji Fermaton into slavery."
"......."
Charlotte's eyes widened for a moment.
"I'm going to need more explanation than that."
"It's a simple story. Those who threaten Ruji Fermaton, and those who slander and envy my women. Naturally, I should take their heads, but it feels like a waste just to kill them."
Those who could be called my 'political enemies.'
The criminals who laid a hand on my women.
"Inside the Infinite Labyrinth, it doesn't matter because no corpse is left behind even if I kill them, but in the city, I have to follow the national law, don't I?"
"Are you referring to the Kingdom's laws?"
"Yes."
No matter how much absolute power Ruji held here.
This Fermaton fief was a 'County.'
It was merely a border countship belonging to the Kingdom, and serious crimes beyond the lord's jurisdiction were naturally subject to Kingdom law.
"For example, suppose there's a man who tried to assault one of my women. Even if it ended in attempted rape, I'd want to punish him, but the severity of the punishment under Kingdom law is... ambiguous."
"Because the punishments are a mere slap on the wrist."
"So, I will be the judge. I want to kill them, but if I do, the Kingdom will start some bullshit about hauling me before a religious tribunal. As for those sold into slavery... well, do as you wish with them. Hehe."
I ran the edge of my hand across my throat.
"I'll turn even those who touch my women into funds for Fermaton. They might not make high-quality slaves, but isn't a merchant someone who sells anything if it can earn them even a pittance?"
"...You have a point. In other words, the Young Lord..."
"I intend to purge everyone who isn't on my side, but the Kingdom's interference would be too much. To be specific, rather than political enemies, they're those who betrayed me."
Pretending to be at odds with the Kingdom while utilizing the Empire.
"What do you think? I came to buy slaves, but I'm also thinking of selling them."
"Does that include... members of Lord Ruji's knight order?"
"Not the knights."
I drew a clear line.
"How could someone who betrayed me be my knight? I don't hate the Empire. I don't much care for the Kingdom's way of acting humble while putting on airs in public."
"......."
"Miss Charlotte. ...I'm thinking of making some connections in the Empire while buying and selling slaves. Can you handle this discreetly?"
Through Charlotte, I would secure a lifeline to the Empire.