Chapter 31 - Villager of the Magic Academy Part 4

And then, three days later.

Lilith and I were walking down a large road leading to the northwestern portion of the continent.

This road connected the northwestern port town with the internal part of the continent, and was used to transport sea goods such as mackerel, salmon and other smoked sea-foods.

That’s why the road is well maintained and there were many people too.

From time to time, rest towns and stalls also come in between, and there weren’t many inconveniences.

“Lute? How many more days will it take?”

My fellow travel companion who had been following me while holding onto the hem of my jacket, asked me with displeasure.

“Artena Magic Academy is pretty much at the very end of this road. So, about two more days.”

“As expected, I’m against it. As Dragon King said Lute and I should have just stayed in the village together with the two of us. I don’t know anything about this Hero of the North, and the calamities that humanity is about to face have nothing to do with Lute or me.”

“That’s not how it works.”

According to the Dragon King, I had destroyed Cordelia’s potential.

Originally, triggered by the goblin incident, Cordelia awakened to the duties and expectations set on her as a hero and trained extremely diligently to become stronger. However, that couldn’t happen this time.

I saw Cordelia during the incident with the evil dragon Amanta, and it truly was horrible.

In the original timeline, Amanta was supposed to be defeated by Cordelia, however in that situation, there was quite a large gap in Cordelia’s strength and Amanta’s.

Perhaps, it would have been an even fight with two Cordelias, was how bad it was.

However, not knowing of those circumstances, she would continue to be treated as humanity’s mainline weapon.

It seemed unlikely that Cordelia would be able to deal with the problems on her own at that time.

“Ah, geez, seriously it’s become quite a pain.”

“If it’s a pain let’s turn back. Right away, let’s turn back.”

Lilith’s voice became brighter, so I turned around to take a look at her.

She nodded multiple times, and relaxed her cheeks.

“Lute, let’s return. Let’s return to the village. Leaving that woman behind, let’s return. Right away, let’s return in a hurry.”

“I already said that’s not how it works…”

Then, I turned to face the right way again, and noticed something unusual.

The people had started avoiding walking in the middle, and were walking near the edge now.

“Hmm? Why is everyone walking on the edges?”

At this point, Lilith smiled wryly in amazement.

“Lute really doesn’t have any common sense.”

“Well, I was originally living in the countryside after all. After I started living in the dragon village, I kept going to places like the demon world or the unexplored polar regions.”

“That’s the same for me. I was a slave and before I knew it, I was in the dragon village.”

“Then why is it that you know common sense?”

“I am a librarian of the dragon’s library. I always lived surrounded by books.”

“Last time I was reading all the time using my skill: Wisdom, though?”

“You didn’t read about anything other than stuff that’d make you stronger…”

“I see. So why is everyone walking on the edge?”

“A nobleman’s carriage and consort is coming from behind. Probably their young one will be attending the magic academy.”

Just as Lilith had said, a nobleman’s procession came into view behind me.

And at the same time, the people walking on the sides stopped and started prostrating.

“Would it be right for me to prostrate as well?”

“Do as you like.”

“Do as you like, is it?”

“Violence is the power that grants selfishness. You have enough power to be exceptional. No matter who faces you, you have the strength to be selfish.”

“In other words?”

“Do as you like. The way you want to, live as you like.”

‘Okay’, I whispered near the edge of the roads.

Then, I prostrated with knees to the ground.

“Lute?”

“What is it?”

Lilith followed after me, and knelt on the spot.

“You were surprisingly docile, so I was surprised.”

“I don’t want to stand out needlessly. Picking a fight with authoritarians would also be a pain.”

The procession passed by me.

It was headed to the Magic Academy, just like us.

A few carriages driven by valets. Several men on horseback guarding the carriages from all sides.

Further surrounded by people who looked like infantry in plain clothes.

They numbered between fifty to around a hundred.

“That’s a big show.”

I let out a sigh seeing an overtly decorated carriage.

To top it all off, if you take into account the wear of the servants as well, the sum becomes absurd.

This is where the tax-payers’ money ends up, is what I feel my countryside parents would think if they saw this.

Working hard from dawn to dusk, but being unable to improve one’s lifestyle…

And here, one of the carriages stopped in front of me.

“…?”

When I looked up, a rotund, fat man got down from his carriage.

In overtly luxurious jewel-laden clothes.

The man stood in front of me, and said decisively.

“The woman there, raise your head.”

As told, Lilith raised her head.

With that, the man made an ugly face, and grabbed Lilith’s chin with his index and middle finger.

“Are you an escaped slave? And a sex slave at that, huh?”

“Why do you ask?”

Just like that, the man grabs Lilith’s right hand.

“Get into the carriage. I’ll return you to the slavers in the city. And on the way I’ll even treasure you a bit. Actually, depending on the situation, I might even buy you back.”

He forcibly raised Lilith.

The man didn’t break his momentum and started taking Lilith towards the carriage.

Lilith sent me a glance seeking my help.

Speaking of it, I hadn’t done anything about the slave crest, I sighed.

Fugitive slaves are registered in the database, and accordingly returned to their original owners.

If I remember right, due to the restrictions of being a slave, fugitive slaves cannot retaliate beyond a very limited extent against the one who declares to be ‘taking them to the slave traders’.

“Hey, old man wait a second.”

The middle-aged man turned around upon hearing my words, and said with a pained expression.

“What is it? You trash? I know the younger brother of the King of Fusilia, and he listens to me, you know?”

I opened my mouth wide.

“Answer me this, how did you know Lilith is a slave?”

“Occasionally talking to trash also helps broaden one’s world view, huh. Alright, I’ll answer your question.”

A glance of resentment which he didn’t even plan on hiding.

I see, something that only existed in fantasy worlds, this man was the stereotypical twisted noble.

“I am a great nobleman. So, obviously I have a lot of slaves. Which means I possess it too.”

“You possess what?”

‘You don’t even know that much’, thinking so, the man snorted derisively.

“A slave detector, you see. My sex slaves are all ill-mannered, so I have a lot of fugitive slaves.”

“I see. Then, I have one last question. Buy her back, what did you mean by that?”

“Usually, when someone finds a fugitive slave, the slave is handed over to the slavers in exchange for a reward, and the slave is eventually returned to their owner. However, if a slave has been missing for too long, its ownership becomes dubious.”

Sort of like how real estate’s ownership changes?

Well, somehow I got what he meant.

“… So?”

“In case of runaway slaves, if they’re females, they can be ‘tasted’ before they’re handed over to the slavers. So, as in this case, people like me sometimes take a liking to them, right? This slave in particular is the finest of the finest. Even a great nobleman like me hasn’t seen better in my life.”

The man sent a gaze which seemed to be licking Lilith.

It felt like being licked from bottom to top, it was a disgusting feeling.

“So, in case you take a liking…?”

“It seems like it’s happened with slavers plenty of times in the past. The one who found her says ‘I’ll pay, so hand her over to me’, and the original owner insists ‘No, this slave belongs to me’, and then the finder retorts with ‘But I was the one who found her’, and so it goes on. And well, since it’s a sex slave, there are matters of pride, possessiveness, jealousy and sometimes even love which get dragged into it… a lot happens.”

“So?”

The man raised three fingers.

“A three year rule was set. If it has been more than three years since the slave ran away, you can buy her back for ten gold coins.”

In this world, a gold coin is worth about a million yen back in Japan.

So, since it’s a buy back for ten million yen, it’s quite the fair price.

“Great nobleman, sorry but can’t I get you to abandon the female slave and leave?”

“Huh? Why would I do that?”

“I was the one who found that slave. I was on the way to the city to turn her in. I was also planning on buying her back for ten gold coins.”

“I don’t think trash like you has that kind of money, though?”

I removed a pouch from the bag and open it.

Inside it were several gold coins, the man’s eyes opened wide.

“Sorry to say this, but I’m quite rich.”

“Certainly, it looks like… You have quite a bit.”

The man ponders over something while stroking his beard.

Then, grabbing Lilith’s hand, he started dragging her towards the carriage again.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t listen to words of trash like you.”

“Hey, wait! Old man! I was the one who found her first!”

“I have decided to taste this woman.”

“As if I care. Don’t decide that on your own.”

The man stopped and glared at me.

“A great nobleman has decided so. It is absolute.”

And then, I noticed.

The old man’s crotch… was clearly erect beneath his trousers.

“Certainly, a sex slave’s crest may be encrusted on her.”

The old man stopped listening to my words.

Perhaps the sexual switch had already been flipped, he seemed ready to take off his pants right then and there.

If he gets into the carriage, he’ll probably start within the minute.

Ah, I started getting a slight headache.

“She isn’t an object!”

Before I noticed it, my fist embedded itself into the man’s face.