Volume 7 - CH 7.1

“……! Hey!”

The man who heard the woman said in a voice that contained his impatience.

The woman replies by looking at the man.

“I know. It’s okay.”

“…”

The man keeps silent.

After all, it seemed that the woman was in control of the decisions.

I ask after a pause.

“What does it mean to want me to help your friends?”

“I’ll explain in order.”

The woman quietly begins to speak.

“I haven’t said my name yet. I’m Rurumu. This is Nozuro. I’m from the same frontier village, and I’m an adventurer.”

The woman who called herself Rurumu glanced sideways at the man she called Nozuro for a moment and continued.

“We want to help our fellow countrymen who are being held captive by Keltz merchants.”

“Captured by a merchant…?”

“Slave”

Rurumu said with a sorrowful expression.

“My friends are now being held as slaves.”

“…Slaves usually end up there being sold by their parents, unable to repay their debts, or committing a crime…”

“Of course, it’s none of those. I don’t know the details, but …… I’m sure they were all kidnapped. I can’t think of anything else.”

Rurumu continues calmly.

“Right now, they’re locked up in a warehouse in Keltz. We wanted to buy back as many of them as possible, so we dived into the dungeons to hunt monsters that could sell at a high price.”

“…”

“Most monsters are no match for us, but Frostwraith was just not compatible with us and we were in a dangerous position… I’m really grateful for your help.”

“…… and.”

I ask a question to get back on topic.

“What do you want from us?”

Rurumu tells me, as if she has made up her mind.

“Together, I want you to rescue our people from the slavers of …… Keltz.”

“Rescue them how?”

Rurumu says,

“With a summoner like you, we can definitely beat that merchant’s bodyguards. You can even outrun the city patrol.”

“…..”

She didn’t say it clearly,……, but it was clear that she was suggesting that we would take the city by force.

As if to make excuses, Rurumu continued.

“Our people, you know, are sold to the highest bidder, in fact, hunting monsters is not going to be enough to save enough money, and before that, streamlined adventurers like us won’t be able to get in as customers. …… In the not too distant future, our friends will be taken to the imperial capital. And when that happens, there will be no more chance for us to rescue them.”

Rurumu says, leaning forward.

“Of course, we intend to thank you as much as we can.”

“What are you saying”

I interrupted Rurumu’s story, narrowed my eyes, and spat out.

“There’s no way I can help you with that.”

Rurumu widened her eyes and pulled her lips together.

I continue.

“The slave trade is legal in the Empire. You’re talking about robbing a merchant who’s just doing a legitimate business and taking his goods?　That’s robbery. How can I cooperate with such a thing?”

“This… are you saying that kidnapping is allowed in this country!?”

“That’s illegal. If it’s done in the empire or to its vassals.”

“…”

“If you say that one of your comrades was illegally enslaved, then you should report it to the lord of Keltz. If only you could prove that they were wrongly enslaved”

“…”

“If they turn us away, we can hire a lawyer in the Imperial Capital and file a lawsuit. Wouldn’t it be cheaper than buying back slaves? 　Of course, if we can’t win, it can’t be helped.”

“…”

Rurumu pulled her lips together and said nothing while looking down.

I suddenly remembered and said.

“Come to think of it, you said you would thank me as much as you could…what did you intend to give me, you guys, who have no money?”

“… if it’s something of value, I have it.”

Rurumu takes out a pouch from her pocket and shakes it upside down on her palm.

What came out from inside was — a splendid piece of gold work and a number of jewels.

She presents them to me.

“That’s not all. If you help my comrades, I can pay more.”

I look at the gold and goods with a cold feeling.

“Unfortunately, I’m not short on money. More importantly, it looks expensive even to an amateur, but if you can cash it in, wouldn’t it be possible to buy some of your comrades back?”

“…”

“Well, it’s going to be quite expensive, so I’m sure they’ll ask you about where you got it and your status.”

“… For some reason, it’s difficult for us to convert it into cash. That’s why we have no choice but to receive it in kind.”

Rurumu insisted in a clinging tone.

“Please. It’s hard for us, who only have the status of adventurers from outside, to rely on lords and imperial law.”

“…”

“My friends haven’t done anything wrong. And yet, I don’t think they should  have to live as slaves in a place like this. It’s against the logic. If you can understand that…”

“It’s out of the question.”

I tell her to let go.

“If it is reasonable, what will happen to the position of the merchants who are robbed of their goods? If they are slaves that can be sold at a high price, they should have set the purchase price accordingly. If they lose everything, they may go bankrupt, but can you say that is reasonable?”

“Hey, a merchant who buys slaves from kidnapping doesn’t deserve it!”

“Maybe merchants have wives and children. Is it reasonable for these innocent people to get lost in the streets?”

“Is that so…”

“I’ll tell you plainly. I have no intention of getting involved in your schemes. In light of human reason, it’s all the more so.”

And then I say the words of rupture.

“There’s no way I can lend a hand to demons.”

Rurumu widened her eyes and gasped.

At the same time, the countenance of Nozuro’s presence changed.

“eh……?”

“Wh-what’s going on…?” 

Mabel and Amiyu didn’t seem to have noticed, and looked confused at me and the two of them.

“Se, Seika-kun, um, uh, …….”

However, only Ifa’s face showed a puzzled look.

Judging from this situation, it’s possible that the spirit’s behavior had given her a clue.

“From the very beginning, I thought it was a strange flow of power for a human being, But I have never heard of a demon tribe that can transform into a human. You two are not only the same, but are also very close to each other. The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that the two of you are both divine -demons,—-“

“……”

“……”

“But as I recall, the divine demons have black lines running down their bodies, but are you hiding them with dye….. ?”

At that moment, Nozuro’s body blurred.