Volume 7 - CH 9.1

We were taken to a reception room on the second floor.

This room must have been used for business meetings. The furnishings were luxurious, and every corner of the room was well maintained.

Herman only talked to me, but he seemed to be considerate of the other party members, and had chairs brought for Amiyu and the others, who were having trouble finding a place to sit.

“Well then, Seika-dono. What kind of slaves do you want from our organisation?”

Elman, sitting in front of me, smiled.

“…”

“…”

Rurumu and Nozuro, who were sitting on both sides of me, seemed to be getting a little emotional.

Since it was a three-seater sofa, I had the two parties sitting next to me for the time being, but…it was kind of bloody, and it might have been a mistake. Rurumu’s place aside, if Nozuro attacks Herman, there’s a possibility that i won’t be able to stop him at this distance.

But…the other side was also to be considered.

I say what I have to say.

“Before that, who is that guy?”

“Hi…!”

The man sitting next to Hermann shrank back under my gaze.

He was a frightened and somewhat gloomy man.

He was obviously younger than Herman, but not old enough to be a merchant. He did not look like a merchant at all. I didn’t know why he was here.

Herman answered with a smile.

“I am sorry for the delay in introducing myself. This is our vice-president, Neg.”

“Vice President ……?　Is that him?”

“Yes. It’s an important business meeting, so he’s with me.”

Herman said this with such bravado that I could hardly believe it.

He would not even make eye contact with me. How can such a man be the vice president of the Chamber of Commerce ……?

Neg talked as if he was leaning on Herman.

“Ah, brother, brother…”

“Actually, he is my younger brother.”

“Hey brother…”

“Neg. We are in front of an important customer, please be quiet now.”

“B-but-“

At that moment, i felt a surge of power beneath my feet.

Along with the cold air, what came up through the table in the drawing room was――――a ghost clad in pale rags.

“F-Frost Wraith!?”

Amiyu shouts in surprise

That was not all.

From behind a bookshelf, a faint red spirit clothed in heat. From the window of the room, a light green spirit clothed in wind. From the armor decoration, an earthy haze of a spirit was seen at ……. Various astral monsters, such as Frost Wraiths, Flame Wraiths, Wind Wraiths, and Ground Wraiths, sprang up from everywhere in the reception room.

And then, ……

“Ooooh ——.”

Behind Neg, an eerie spirit body, clad in a ragged …… jet-black rag, floated in the air before I knew it.

The scale of its power is clearly different from that of the other wraiths.

“Wraith Lord ……!”

Rurumu muttered breathlessly next to him.

The Wraithlord is, as I recall, a higher level of dark attribute monster among the Wraiths.

The Wraithlord uses powerful dark attribute magic and most physical attacks are ineffective against it. Moreover, it is said that if you do not have a countermeasure, you must be prepared to die the moment you encounter it.

However, these grudge spirits usually dislike the light of day.

Wraith monsters are no exception, and should only appear in dungeons such as deep forests, caves, and ruins.

I don’t know why they are in these places, but they must be …… dangerous, so it is best to contain them.

As those around me stiffened, I chanted the mantra in a whisper and —-

“Oh, don’t worry.”

When I tried to use the technique, Herman stopped me calmly. Involuntarily, I stop the curse.

“……what?”

“These are monsters used by Neg.”

He said something unbelievable.

Herman explained while looking at Neg, whose gaze was timidly roving.

“Since long ago, Neg has a tendency to attract these astral monsters. But don’t worry. All these wraiths serve Neg.”

“…… All these ?”

“Yes. In this kind of business, I have often felt myself in danger, but in such cases, I have always been saved by Neg’s wraiths.”

“……”

I look at the wraiths around me, but they certainly don’t seem to be attacking me.

I turn my eyes back to observe Neg.

There is a profession of trainer-tamers who can tame monsters, but as long as they tame them with their skills, the monsters they can handle are limited. I had never heard of such an example of taming astral monsters. Since he does not have a grimoire, he’s probably not a summoner who binds their actions with magical contracts, nor is he a necromancer who manipulates spirits into corpses.

Or should I call him a manipulator-spectacular?

Either way, he seemed to have a rather rare talent.

“Ugh, ugh. ……”

Neg was acting suspiciously, looking at Herman, looking at us, and so on.

Herman glanced at his brother and said,

“Neg, we are in the middle of a business meeting. Put the monsters down.”

“But, brother!　These guys are …….”

Neg’s eyes were on the two people on either side of me, Rurumu and Nozuro.

Many of the wraiths seemed to be floating in the distance around us, but their attention seemed to be strongly focused on the …… two demons.

Some of the wraiths were also approaching Ifa, suggesting that perhaps, like spirits, she has a propensity to draw magical forces.

Herman says, annoyed.

“Oh no, I am …… sorry, Seika sama. I am afraid that your companions are of subhuman blood.　When there are people with strong magical powers, it is rare that the Wraiths’ leadership is disrupted and they are sometimes disrespectful.”

“… Ah. There are three of us who have the blood of forest elves.”

“For the time being, I’ll accept that.”

There were many demi-humans in Lakana, so it shouldn’t be unnatural.

“I don’t care about that kind of thing, so get rid of these ghosts quickly.”

“Haha, immediately.. I understand. Neg, Hurry up.”

“But, brother…”

“Neg!”

“Uh… ha, yes…”

Neg lowered his head at Herman’s shout.

Then the wraiths all slipped through the floorboards on the second floor and disappeared. The Wraithlord, which was exerting a frightening pressure on its master’s back, eventually faded and sank at Neg’s feet.

It seems that they are usually hidden under the floor or in the ground where the sunlight doesn’t reach.

Herman puts his hand on his forehead and apologizes as the people around him lose their composure.

“No, not at all. I apologize again and again.”

I see.

It was only then that I realized what Herman meant by having the vengeful man present.

This guy is Herman’s bodyguard.

He probably wanted to avoid being pushed through with violence against the background of business negotiations with adventurers. The fact that he is the vice president of the Chamber of Commerce must be an excuse for him to stay at the business meeting.

I thought about pointing this out to him, but I decided not to because it would just be an accusation if he countered me.

However, it’s annoying to keep getting hit, so I’ll point out something else instead.