Chapter 76: Those Who Have Seeped into Fermaton's Darkness (6)
Chapter 76: Those Who Have Seeped into Fermaton's Darkness (6)
Three-line summary:
I was so excited to meet a Goth Loli Dark Mage with such guaranteed performance that I ended up rambling a bit incoherently, but I composed myself and spoke to Charlotte calmly.
"As you know, I’m in a position where I could be eliminated at any time. If the Kingdom decides to use Ruji Fermaton’s offspring for their own ends, I’ll be forced to comply without a choice."
"……."
"So, shouldn't I have a few safety measures in place?"
"And that safety measure is crossing over to the Empire through me?"
"Exactly."
With the Silence barrier active, there was no pressure in talking. Thanks to that, my tongue felt looser, making it easier to speak.
"If the Kingdom tries to kill me, I need a way to escape. Or if not me… at least for my people."
"……."
It wasn't just because Charlotte used to be one of my favorite characters that I was laying everything bare like this.
"I’m not saying you should sell me as a slave if I fall. I’m asking you to use your private routes to help my people escape to the Empire."
"What about you, Lord Ruji?"
"Me? I can’t even leave this place because of the curse of the Infinite Labyrinth."
Until I conquer the Infinite Labyrinth, I cannot escape. But what if the Kingdom tries to eliminate me and my people?
"Rather than taking everyone into the Infinite Labyrinth to go mad and die together, it’s much better to let my people flee to the Empire and start a second life."
"……."
"Of course, this is only if the Fermaton County turns into some absolute shitshow."
"…Lord Ruji, I’m only saying this because no one can hear us due to the Silence magic."
Charlotte straightened her posture.
"Are you saying that, if push comes to shove, you’re willing to replace the flag of Fermaton Castle with the flag of the Empire?"
"I am."
If the Kingdom’s people caught wind of this, it wouldn't just be a problem—I’d be fucked. But the woman in front of me was from the Empire.
"I am a man who values the safety of my people and my own life. If the Kingdom tries to get rid of me, I have to act accordingly."
"……The Kingdom, against you, Lord Ruji?"
"Well, it’s a hypothetical."
Whether it’s the Kingdom or the Empire, they’d both move to eliminate me eventually, simply because a man named Ruji Fermaton is trying to build an independent power base without belonging to either side.
"If this place becomes Imperial territory, the Empire will do its best to help. The Kingdom will use any means necessary to take this castle, but the Empire will struggle just as hard not to lose it."
"……."
"You might say I’m being short-sighted, but I’m someone who has to grab whatever lifeline is right in front of me. I have no choice but to worry about the distant future later. So, here is my proposal."
I held up three fingers.
"One. If there are any useful virgins among the female slaves, I’ll take a look and buy them. Whether they were sold here from the Empire or actually kidnapped, it doesn't matter. There are endless ways to use them."
"Is it to take their virginity?"
"Well, something like that."
In reality, it was to recruit them as members of my Knight Order.
—A-Ah, aaakh…! I’m sorry! I was wrong!
—Hehe, this little bitch is quite a looker…! She’ll fetch a good price!
There was a possibility that gacha characters I didn't know about might become slaves under the guise of "Reality Correction."
—Boss! What should we do with her?
—…Don't touch her. We’ll sell her to the Lord of Fermaton for a very high price.
—Huh? Isn't that a waste? She’s such a beauty.
—If you sell a virgin to Count Fermaton, you can become a billionaire.
—Ah, then we definitely have to sell her!
So, I was setting up an insurance policy through Charlotte to deal with such mishaps.
"Are non-virgins not allowed?"
"No. They must be pure women who have never been touched by a man. I will only purchase virgins who are clean in the mouth, the pussy, and the back pussy."
"That will be expensive… but I suppose that’s meaningless to you, Young Lord."
"Because a virgin is worth that much."
A woman who claims to be a virgin just because she hasn't done it in the front, even if her back hole is a gaping mess? Even the master of the Infinite Labyrinth would laugh at that.
"Two. I don't care if it’s for a pittance or a bargain. Whether the person I want to sell is a man or a woman, buy them as slaves. I want to see them dragged out of Fermaton in chains."
"Since you can't just exile them indiscriminately, you're saying you'll secretly sell them into slavery."
"Exactly."
"But the slaves you want to sell… aren't they likely to be far from fresh virgins? They might be worn-out rags that you’ve used and discarded."
"When I weighed the cost of disposing of trash and processing corpses, I figured selling them as slaves wouldn't be a bad idea."
"……."
Charlotte gulped at my cold-blooded words.
"I thought about throwing them into the Infinite Labyrinth or having a professional from the underworld handle them. But seeing you gave me a great idea, Dark Mage Charlotte."
I leaned back leisurely on the sofa.
"Researching dark magic requires quite a lot of research materials, doesn't it? What do you think?"
"Hmm, well, then… does that mean how I use the slaves is up to my discretion?"
"It is. However, I’ll add one strict condition: they must be sold to a place where a clean death is guaranteed, with no loose ends."
"Then the price will be much lower than the market value."
"That’s why I said I’d hand them over even for a pittance."
I didn't know how many people would get on my bad side and be sold as slaves in the future, but I definitely needed to keep that path open. For starters, Lambert was a lock.
"You have less hesitation about killing people than I thought, Lord Ruji."
"If they deserve to die, there’s no reason to hesitate."
I’m human too. Before my possession, I lived in a world where you’d be arrested just for assault, let alone murder. But I cannot tolerate a fucking gay guy aiming for my ass or a total slut who betrayed me.
"Do you think I’m being too much? That I don't see people as human? Not all slaves can be called human, can they?"
"You are absolutely right. Those in this land who deserve to be slaves… well, they’ve all done something to earn it."
Charlotte giggled and sipped her tea. As expected of a Dark Mage, she had no qualms about buying, selling, or killing people.
"I will positively review the business proposal you’ve made. However, there is one part of what you said that needs to be considered outside of business."
"What is it?"
"Recruiting me as a member of your Knight Order. Trading slaves is a deal with the representative of Nine-Tail, but joining the Knight Order is a proposal to Charlotte as an individual. Is that correct?"
"Precisely."
"Does my role include sex?"
"Sex isn't a mandatory condition, but it could provide merits in various conditions later. Like me paying more than the list price when buying slaves, or giving them to you for free when I sell them."
"……."
A so-called "sex discount."
"I will consider that matter separately."
"I’ll look forward to a positive and hopeful answer."
If we did have sex, I might even give her a tip instead of a discount. Does it look like I’m being a pushover? I plan to get it all back later anyway. It might look like I’m giving too much now, but once I stick my cock in her a few times, she might become addicted to it and truly become my ally.
'If there’s no chance for sex, I’ll just make one.'
I’d already put out some sex appeal. Even though I’d bluntly blurted out things about virgins and wanting to have sex without any filter.
'There are women who fall for this kind of thing.'
Charlotte was one of them. This woman looked like a typical Goth Loli, but her ideal type was surprisingly aggressive.
—Heeeuu… Being dominated and ruled over is the very reason a female is born…! I’m so happy to be born as Master’s bitch…!
…Wait, was that it? Or was I just remembering some weird content I saw in a meme? Regardless, I didn't regret it. Since I was already aiming for a sex angle with Astarotte, I was just acting like Ruji. It’s not embarrassing to get an erection for Charlotte! It’s only natural for a man.
"Then, Charlotte. Shall we go take a look at the slaves? I’ll browse through the virgin slaves you recommend."
"I thought you weren't going to buy any?"
"I have a use and a purpose for everything."
A use befitting a slave.
* * *
"What is up with that guy?"
After showing Ruji Fermaton to the guest reception room for a moment, Charlotte Weissgarten was flustered and bewildered by the storm-like presence he commanded.
"Is he really planning to flee to the Empire?"
There was no one around. She had set up a barrier, and besides, this was the restroom. It would be strange for anyone to be nearby.
"If Fermaton becomes Imperial territory…. No, before that, the Kingdom is trying to move against Fermaton? Why? There’s no reason for them to do that."
It was an incomprehensible statement. But the fact that he only said it after the barrier was up—did that mean he was that desperate?
"…What on earth is he?"
Charlotte was curious. Just 'how much' did that man know? Knowing she was a Dark Mage wasn't a big deal, but his attempt to establish a connection with the Empire bothered her.
"…He didn't say that knowing I’m that, did he? No. There’s no way. That’s… a top secret that no one knows…."
Charlotte lifted her skirt. On her lower body, the inside of her thigh, an indelible magical tattoo revealed exactly who she was.
"……."
The Imperial Seal was engraved on the inside of Charlotte’s thigh.