Chapter of Slavery, Episode 3: The Hero Candidate’s Encounter

Once I finished working in the real world, I played in the dream world.

I played by wandering through labyrinths and grass fields, raising my level by defeating ferocious monsters and finding occasional treasure chests. I had done this for nearly twenty years, and this was all part of the norm for me by now.

Even so, what I was doing now was hard to explain.

I was at a rocky area near the arbor, doing a handstand on Astroblade, the sword of stardust. I steadied myself on one hand, my free hand behind my back and my legs wavering to maintain balance.

I was unfamiliar with the position, but this was the dream world. It wouldn’t hurt even if I fell, and I didn’t feel much fatigue, either. This allowed me to continue the exercise with a peaceful mindset and without a shred of fear.

“Hmm, you seem awfully calm for some reason.”

“I guess I am. I often get told I look absentminded, but maybe that’s just because of my face,” I said to the upside down Zera. The black-haired man was tall with a solid build. His dark skin was likely tanned in the desert sun.

He thought about it for a moment, then did a loop around me as he observed me.

“I thought you moved fast for being so young, but it looks like you’ve been through a lot of training. You must have a great teacher.”

Oh, I guess he’s not gonna respond to the part about me looking absentminded. Though, I wasn’t going to touch on the fact that my teacher was the Arkdragon, either.

“So, these sorts of acrobatics will help me learn energy manipulation?”

“Hm? Oh, this is just for me to gauge how much training you’ve had... Hey, straighten out your toes.” He was upping the difficulty without mercy.

He adjusted my position, and I rebalanced myself with my back arched. I probably would’ve cried if this was occuring in my own world, but this was just a dream, after all.

Now, it wasn’t as if I was a fan of doing morning acrobatics. Zera happened to walk by as I was doing some practice swings with my new weapon, Astroblade, and he drew me into a conversation.

This weapon had a special effect that allowed its user to charge up to unleash a long-range burst of energy. Despite that, I was a complete amateur when it came to energy manipulation, so this feature was being wasted on me.

“If you wanna learn to manipulate energy, you need to familiarize yourself with your own body first. I remember my dad used to make me do this, too. Really takes me back.” With that, Zera stroked the scruff on his chin.

Zera was undoubtedly leagues ahead of me in terms of energy manipulation, and he decided to give me some advice when he saw me struggling with it. The black cat, or rather, Wridra, wandered around my feet and looked up at me, seemingly confused by the concept of energy manipulation.

Marie was reading a book at the arbor some distance away, occasionally glancing toward us. The look on her face seemed to remark, “Looks difficult,” as if it didn’t concern her in the slightest.

“You know, your weapon is the perfect catalyst for learning how to control energy. You get immediate feedback with that thing.” I looked up, wondering what he meant, and he grinned.

“Try activating it from that position. If you keep it at low power, maybe you can float.”

Wow, he’s pretty ambiguous with his explanations. The look of excited anticipation on his face told me he just wanted to watch me for fun. Oh well... He wasn’t going to let me go until I did it anyway.

Fwoom...

I sent some faint energy into the sword, and Astroblade began to glow.

I felt the energy draining from my body, and I started to sweat more profusely. The sword hilt nearly slipped from my hand, but I managed to subtly activate it.

“And, there... Whoaaa!” I kept the firepower at a minimum, but the power unleashed from the blade threw my body off balance. Apparently, I wasn’t allowed to fall, because Zera’s thick arm caught me and returned me to my upside down position.

He chewed on an apple-like fruit as he peered at me.

“...Thank you.”

“Let’s keep it going. We can eat once you learn how to float.” Ugh... What a pain...

But this pushy attitude reminded me of something. It reminded me of those monks who first tried to teach me to control energy. They were so enthusiastic about training me, like some hot-headed gym teachers.

“Almost there. Keep your energy at a steady level as you unleash it. You can do it, Kazuhiho. I know it. You just gotta try!”

Oho... This is reeeally becoming a pain now... Energy was such a vague concept in the first place. It wasn’t displayed on the status screen, and many people were skeptical whether it was even real. The majority of people didn’t want to dedicate time to such a nebulous thing.

“Hng, urrrgh...”

“Oh, oh, you’re almost there. Come on, come on! You can do it!” My body lifted up, floating for the duration of a breath. But as soon as I stopped breathing, the flow of energy stopped as well. The blade sunk back into the rock.

I breathed out roughly, feeling exhausted, then looked up at Zera. “I did it, right? Will you let me go?” I asked wordlessly.

“All right, let’s aim for ten seconds next. You’ve got this; you’ll get it in no time.”

Oof! My eyes nearly rolled over, and Marie laughed out loud while clutching her stomach.

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We walked in the sprinkling rain toward the two carriages parked at the premises. We moved at a brisk pace to try to escape the rain, and the awaiting coachman opened the door with a bow.

Rainy season in the desert reminded me of Japan’s rainy season. The ever-increasing humidity was downright unpleasant, and the temperature dropped by the day, as if the rain was draining away the heat.

Marie jogged over, then looked up at the thick rain clouds.

“It’s raining pretty hard now. Oh, excuse me, is it okay if this cat joins us? It’s not dirty.” The coachman gestured that it was fine, and the small elf entered the carriage with the cat in her arms. The interior wasn’t too spacious, but it was fine enough for people our size. Not used to the length of her skirt, Marie nearly slipped down as she climbed in, but I hurriedly supported her from behind.

“Oh, thank you. I nearly stepped on my hem.”

“It’s okay. Be careful now.” Her body was light, as expected, and her amethyst eyes smiled when she turned to look at me. Her dress was white today, unlike her usual outfits, and I felt it that highlighted her beauty even more.

Inside the carriage were leather seats facing each other, and Marie and the black cat quickly took up the seats next to the window. I brushed the beads of water off of my shoulders and climbed in with Zera, who was a resident of this mansion.

Zera called out to the coachman, and the carriage began to move forward with the crack of a whip. Vivid gardens passed by in the somewhat cloudy glass windows. The sight surely would have been even nicer had the weather been good.

I loosened the collar of my outfit and took a deep breath, then spoke to Zera, who was sitting across from me.

“Thank you for letting me borrow your clothes.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it. Those are from when I was a kid, and they were just gathering dust, anyway. Were you planning on going in your usual getup if you hadn’t stopped by my place?” he asked, and we just laughed the matter off. Marie and I didn’t even own houses in the dream world, so we obviously didn’t intend to buy such fancy clothes or have any on hand.

Unlike our usual apparel, I was wearing a long-sleeved robe in a muted color, black boots, and a shawl. I also hung a short sword from my waist in the fashion of the military Thousand household, but this was for ornamental purposes only.

“Oh, it actually makes you look somewhat dashing. All you need to do is shut those sleepy-looking eyes.”

“I can’t really argue, since you look especially good in your outfit. I think that flower hairpin is very pretty on you.” I gave Marie my rather conventional feedback, and she grinned happily and hugged my arm. Feminine as always, she seemed to be enjoying her current attire so unlike her usual sorceress getup. Her subtle lipstick and the embroidered laces ornamenting her long ears accentuated her natural beauty even further. The servants had been gleefully giving her a fitting session just a little while ago.

The road turned to stone pavement as we passed the gates, and the clacketing wheels grew noisier. It didn’t rock the carriage too hard, but it was much louder than riding in a car would have been. There were suddenly no more trees lining the street, and we started moving into a somewhat dark road. It seemed we were heading in the opposite direction from the castle in the middle of the country.

“We’re heading to the celebration ceremony, but we’re stopping by somewhere first. We need to go pick up Doula.”

“Sure, of course. Are the other team members on the way, too?”

“Yeah, but this isn’t a stagecoach. Personally, I don’t think we need to go out of our way to bring foreign culture into this desert country of ours.”

Huh, so the horses can only travel over roads that have gotten maintenance. They could walk over hardened paths, but a different animal was necessary if one intended to travel over sand.

Doula’s residence had an antique atmosphere to it.

The garden was well cared for, but the lot size was rather small—compared to the Thousand household, that was. Zera had the coachman wait as he began walking through the rain. Marie watched him for a while, then uttered,

“Say, do you think those two will be able to get married?”

“Who knows. With effort, sure, but we haven’t even seen the second floor’s floor master yet.” The floor master was full of mysteries, if the rumors were to be believed. I’d heard that it appeared out of nowhere and quietly stole a warrior’s soul. It was notoriously hard to defeat, considering that it just reappeared again even when taken down with focus fire.

“The undead are my natural enemies, so I’ve always just ran away from them.”

“Oh, that’s... not too surprising, actually. It’s better to flee if you don’t have access to holy attribute attacks. Most people do the same thing.” To be honest, I didn’t really ‘get’ them. It was probably the very fact that they were so annoying to deal with that made everyone struggle so much with clearing the second floor.

As our conversation went on, we heard a door open. There stood Doula, water dripping from her long red hair. She wore a collared cape, perhaps to ward off the rain, and her dress accentuated her femininity more than usual.

“Oh, look at you cuties. Where are you two headed, all dolled up like that?”

“Hello, Doula. We were about to go enjoy a fancy dinner party.” Doula met eyes with the black cat that was taking up the seat. They blinked at each other, and then she picked the cat up and took a seat. The door was closed behind her, and Zera entered from the opposite side. Doula looked at him with a sidelong glance, then opened her mouth.

“The undead are difficult to deal with. At least physical attacks are still effective if they have a body, but I can’t stand their appearance and smell. There have been sightings of Living Armors reported, as well.”

“Ohh, how interesting. I’d love to see one with my own eyes.” When I replied as such, the two women gave me a look that clearly told me that they thought I was a weirdo.

I mean, it’s not like I want to face a zombie, but who wouldn’t want to see a Living Armor at least once in their lifetime? Trading blows with an opponent equipped with a sword and armor... That was the very essence of fantasy worlds.

I explained this to the women, but they didn’t seem to understand. Zera, on the other hand...

“Yeah, I get you. A formation of those types is way more exciting to square off against than the type that just hops around. One time, I got surrounded by those things, and the battle... Oh, we’re good to go.” Another crack of the whip sounded, and the carriage finally began heading toward the castle.

Zera and Doula were wearing matching outfits, and they looked incredibly good sitting next to each other. However, the bride-to-be wasn’t looking at her future husband but the elf sitting across from her instead.

“You really are exceptional even among elves, Mariabelle. Can I look at you from more close-up?”

“Now, now. Don’t mess with the people who saved us.”

“Oh, what’s the harm? We’re allies now, so we should get to know each other better.” With that, Doula tried to pull Marie toward her by the arm and shoulder, but the cat’s expression grew disgruntled as its footing became more unstable. In contrast, the elf girl looked rather uneasy.

“Um, Doula, aren’t you getting a little close?”

“Don’t mind me. I just love to stare at pretty girls, and I’d already given up on everyone else.”

Whoa... She’s pretty wild when she’s not on the battlefield, huh...?

I couldn’t help but feel awkward as I watched Doula touch Marie’s supple cheek and whisper with an enraptured expression. It seemed she, uh... had a thing for girls? But she seemed to sense my question and shook her head, causing her red hair to flail about her face.

“No, I am simply admiring a beautiful flower. You two should stay the night at my place tonight.”

“Eep! H-Help me, Kazuhiro!” Ah... I wanted to help, but I really didn’t know how to stand up to women. All I could do was rescue the black cat from getting squished between them.

Anyway, we were on the way to the celebration.

The wheels rolled about noisily, and we passed a large gate to find the venue decorated with flowers.

There were many attendants for the celebration. There was much to be gained from a successful raid on a labyrinth, and so the royal family had sent many invitations to show off the results. They wanted to show off to the various organizations that hadn’t yet received permission to participate in the raid, such as adventurers, guilds, clergymen, and influential individuals who had been sitting on the sidelines.

Many skilled fighters with promising futures, as well as dressed up young ladies and gentlemen, were also in attendance. The houses would gain stability if a match was made here, so dresses had been flying off the shelves in the past few days.

We listened to such behind-the-scenes details from Zera and Doula as the carriage slowly made its way through the site.

In this country, there was a title of “master.” It basically referred to very important people who had authority over the members of a party, and there were also various assemblies with great military prowess, like the Thousand household. They were at the center of the upcoming raid, and those who didn’t have the right to participate were only permitted to watch.

The venue was splendidly decorated, and although it fulfilled the pretext of welcoming us to the event, the main objective of all this was to gain funding from the rich and affluent. The royal family had perfectly manipulated the narrative to convince everyone that they needed to ride this wave, or they would be walking a long and dark path for many years to come. That was why deals were being made all around us, and the treasury was getting filled in exchange for the right to participate in the raid.

“*sigh*... It’s sad to know that this is all about money...”

“Aw, don’t say that. Controlling the flow of money is part of what needs to be done to run a country. We’re able to enjoy the food and drinks because of it. Right?” Zera grinned, and we walked down the carpet-lined floor.

Once I had learned what was actually going on, our seemingly resplendent surroundings gave off a different vibe. What seemed like well-mannered smiles were actually disguised desperate attempts to hold on to their power and authority. This glorious event was being supported by such hidden intentions. Hmm, how boring. Or maybe to them, this was the opportunity they had dreamed of.

The only saving grace for me was that I was leading Marie, who was so cute that she stood out among everyone there, by the hand. She had been looking around curiously along with the black cat but noticed me looking at her and smiled.

“Look, this place is so fancy. Let’s walk around together later.”

“Yeah, I’d love to. Think we’d be able to have some drinks?”

“I can, since I’m an elf. Not you, since you’re a human.”

Whaaat? No fair. This was the complete opposite of how things were in Japan.

Marie saw the sad look on my face and hugged my arm, and her carefree laughter was enough to make people around us stop mid-conversation. I heard them whisper things about elves being uncommon around here and how she looked like a fairy, and Marie shrunk away from them as she embraced my arm tighter.

The party went on as such, but the atmosphere changed completely when it came time for each labyrinth raid team to be introduced. Each team was to be introduced by a representative as grand string music played in the background—a process that was plain torture for an average salaryman like me.

This process may have also served as a means for people to appraise future prospects for marriage. I saw women who could hardly contain their excitement hide their mouths with fans as they spoke to each other with glee. It was like some sort of prize show, but the raid teams seemed to be reveling in it, and this was an opportunity for a master to display his own worth. The group accepted the applause as they entered the hall.

“Lord Zarish of Team Diamond, who is said to be a hero candidate...!” The cheering was so loud that the introduction could hardly be heard.

But this was to be expected. Not only was he the most skilled fighter in all of Arilai, but he boasted an inhumanly high level of 140. His features and outfit were quite sharp, and out of the multiple floor masters residing on the first floor, he was said to have defeated the most powerful one.

Eight beautiful women accompanied him, and each of them were rumored to be mighty warriors in their own rights. The group demanded the attention of men and women alike, an extraordinary amount of excitement filling the hall. The crowd pushed each other in an attempt to speak to one of the group members, and the chaos didn’t seem to be dying down any time soon. Amidst the commotion, the person in charge gestured for us to go up next.

“Oh, I was pretty nervous, but I doubt anyone’s paying attention after those guys. Whew.”

“Listen, we’re the ones who defeated a floor master before anyone else did. We deserve just as much recognition for our accomplishments.” I took Marie’s hand, and we descended the stairs, still talking to each other in a hushed tone. We probably could have spoken normally without anyone taking notice, and we didn’t even hear our own introduction.

“Lucky us,” I thought, but it may have been a bit premature to think so.

Marie clenched her teeth in frustration, then took in a deep breath and blew it out at her fingertips. Half-translucent flower petals danced through the air, flowing out into the heated venue.

“Oh, is that...”

“Yes, the same thing I used in your room. Though, it doesn’t have any effect other than smelling nice.”

All Marie did was deliver a cooling breeze, but the uproar came to a momentary halt, and when the crowd looked up, they saw a young girl alongside a young boy holding a black cat in his arms. The impression they gave off had such a stark contrast with their surroundings that it was enough to draw everyone’s attention.

The attendant unnecessarily raised his voice to declare our introduction.

“And now, the youngest team, with the fewest members that brought bounties upon Arilai by defeating the floor master faster than any other team... Team Amethyst! Despite being participants from a foreign country, they are rumored to have left without so much as a glance for the vast riches they had unlocked, and no one knows the depths of their abilities. Not to mention...” I had experienced enough stories and anime alike to know that what drew a crowd’s eye more than anything else was the nature of something being ‘unexpected.’

The first impressions of the beautiful, fairy-like young girl and me, a sleepy-looking guy, were shattered by the attendant’s excited introduction. Honestly, I wanted to walk up to him with a smile and tell him to cut it out.

“Hmm, you get weirdly competitive sometimes, you know that?”

“Hehe, nothing wrong with getting competitive every once in a while. It’s unacceptable for us to get no applause after all the work we did. We already got ignored when we arrived here, so I’m not letting it happen again.” It seemed she didn’t realize that her flowery smile drew the crowd’s attention even further. Even I still got enchanted looking at her, so the crowd surely didn’t... Ah, yeah, they all had that dreamy look on their faces.

Unbeknownst to us, Zarish of Team Diamond had been staring intently as well, but he wasn’t looking at either the cat or me. He maintained his smile as he half-heartedly interacted with those around him, but his eyes were locked on the elf girl the whole time.

The girl who had the rare class of Spirit Sorceress... According to the reports by his people, the traps she prepared had laid waste to hundreds of monsters and successfully trapped a level 82 demon. Adding the draconian woman into the mix, defeating the floor master must have been a simple task.

Zarish, who was said to be the hero candidate, had been rather concerned about the fact that he hadn’t seen that beautiful black-haired woman since that one time. He figured she had given up on that incompetent-looking boy and abandoned him.

That was quite a big fish he let slip through his hands. I won’t make the same mistake.

His cold smile grew wider.

The dark-skinned elf who was part of his team was standing some distance away, and a shiver ran down her spine when she saw the expression on his face. It felt as if her master, Zarish, was comparing her to that other elf girl.

“That elf brat has you beat, don’t you think?” The man standing next to her said into her ear, and her heart pounded in her chest so hard it pained her. It was just a joke, but it hit far too close to home.

And so, the party continued on into the night.

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I let out a sigh of admiration as I looked up at the display case.

A full suit of armor was proudly on display. Even its joints were fully reinforced with metal, and its powerful yet delicate form was nothing short of breathtaking.

“Veiron’s latest work... It looks amazing.” It wasn’t just any ordinary armor, of course; the metal it was built out of was extracted from giants. This meant that despite its rigid appearance, it had an elasticity to it, and by adding magic to the mix, it had the capability to support the human form. When worn by a proficient user, one could lightly kick off the ground and leap up onto rooftops.

“You have some odd hobbies, you know. I don’t understand what’s entertaining about staring at this thing,” Marie said as she peered at it with confusion.

I was a bit too short to wear it anyway, and it would have disabled some of my skills due to exceeding the weight limit... but medieval gear like armor and shields was something I had admired since childhood.

“I wonder why my equipment is just cloth, then. Maybe I should start training my muscles.”

“Please don’t. If you had a muscular body with that face, I may have to leave you behind.”

...Wait, seriously?! I reacted with shock after a brief pause and hurriedly turned to look at Marie. But someone who appeared to look like a sorcerer happened to speak to her just then, so she never got the opportunity to laugh it off as a joke.

“...Yes, I will look into it.”

“I hope to hear back from you with a positive reply.” Watching her talk, the cat and I let out a sigh.

Because of our unnecessarily conspicuous entry, all sorts of people had been coming up to talk to her. Recruitment by other sorcerers, questions about how we had defeated the demon, offers to join a party from masters, etc. We could hardly walk around because of the persistent conversations.

Marie cracked her neck as she returned. Her mood had been progressively getting worse since we had entered.

“See? I knew we should have gone in quietly.”

“I hate to admit it, but I regret it now. We would have been able to enjoy this dinner party in peace if I decided to live as an outcast like you...”

Wait, since when was I an outcast? She looked to be in distress, but I was pretty sure I had it worse.

The hall had a stairwell where we could look down the walkway at the commotion below. When I glanced back again, Marie seemed to be exhausted. The half-fairy absolutely hated being in rowdy crowds, and I knew that having to entertain so many strangers in conversation was causing her a lot of stress.

“Why don’t we rest at that balcony over there? We’ll have to leave soon anyway.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea. Now that you mention it, tomorrow is another weekday.” Indeed, we couldn’t stay too long on a weekday. Not to mention, there were no holidays in June, which was why we called it “the cursed month” in my household.

“People who get married at this time of year are called June Brides, right? I saw it on TV once. Why do humans like to give these nicknames to everything?”

“Huh? You know about that? Well, it’s because people don’t really want to gather in the rainy season, so it’s just a fancy name to trick people into...” Oh, that might be a rude thing to say, considering where we are.

Marie had a habit of bad mouthing things when she found herself in a bad mood. I had to prioritize getting her somewhere quiet rather than focusing on the conversation. I shut my mouth and took her by the hand.

The night air was cool on the balcony, and Marie let out a sigh of relief to find peace away from the boisterous venue. Rain came down softly on the opposite side of the handrail, with a gentle breeze blowing by. There was no one at the resting area, since this was an important social gathering. I had Marie sit down on a long chair, and her moody face turned toward me.

“I’ll bring you a drink or some fruit. What would you like?”

“Sweet fruits from Japan...”

Haha, she’s still going on about that... Well, I think the refreshing sweetness of strawberries would cheer her up more than anything right now. They would have been out of season in June, but it was possible that they would’ve still been in stock at some stores. Or maybe it would have been better to get her a cake...

I mulled over these thoughts as I waved to Marie and the cat and started walking back indoors.

Maybe I was too preoccupied thinking about her. I didn’t even notice that someone had been watching us. The man hiding behind a pillar whispered out of earshot, reporting to someone quietly.

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The room that had been prepared for our stay was blinking with a bluish-white light.

The man standing in the middle of the magic circle was none other than he who was said to be the hero candidate, Zarish. He possessed a power level that was on another scale from most others, and it was said that all before him would be wiped out as soon as he drew his blade. His smile widened as he spoke into the void.

“...Are things moving along on that end? Yes, I know we need more numbers. That will be taken care of soon enough. I’ve been arranging to move things along on my end as well.” He recalled the prominent figures of the Adventurer’s Guild he had just been speaking with earlier. He’d kept his desires hidden under the surface, watching and secretly enjoying what he would gain soon enough.

“They will push forward as soon as the celebration is over, but focus on slowing the invasion for now. Yes, I will arrange the rest.” The humming magic circle was created with one of his unique skills. Standing inside the circle prevented all detection or analysis abilities and kept him completely safe. This meant that the circle shut off all sound from leaking out of its area.

“Good luck. Things will get very busy starting tomorrow.” With that, the conversation ended. The pale blinking faded away, and Zarish sighed excitedly.

Just then, private chat messages came in. It seemed someone had been trying to contact him multiple times while he was in the defensive field.

“Ah, I was just having a conversation with a lady. So, was there any movement?”

“Yes. That kid just moved away from the target. The elf is on the balcony alone.” Zarish straightened his collar and opened the door, letting in the lively atmosphere from the stairwell. A sleepy-looking boy could be seen walking around the hall, and Zarish sent a private chat message to the dark-skinned woman nearby.

“Begin the mission. Eve, don’t disappoint me any further.”

“...Yes, sir. I will be sure to meet your expectations.” He had formed a party with some members beforehand, allowing them to communicate via the private chat. They began walking forward. To them, this wasn’t an occasion for celebration; this was a battlefield. As usual, Zarish nonchalantly activated his skills, such as those that would prevent him from being detected by others.

“Boss, aren’t you going to use your usual method?”

“There’s no need. This is just some girl we’re dealing with. You take care of that boy, Eve.”

“...Yes, sir.” Eve wasn’t happy about the task she had been assigned. There was a possibility that person might have ended up replacing her, and she had been asked to assist that... but if she didn’t comply, she would be banished from his collection for certain.

She clicked her tongue with frustration, looked at the boy as he got his drink, then stood up slowly.

The hall at night was filled with a quiet excitement. Performers began playing traditional music that had been around since olden times. The crowd listened with a dreamy expression, and those who hadn’t come only for entertainment purposes began making business dealings in the hall with hushed voices.

“I heard the neighboring countries have been preparing for war...”

“They’re but savages of demonic descent. It comes as no surprise that they would be... Oh, if it isn’t Lord Zarish.” The arms dealers bowed their heads in a hurry, and Zarish passed by after giving them a nod. The closer one got to the royal family’s stronghold, the more they would hear of shady dealings.

But a thought crossed Zarish’s mind.

It was now dawning on him that dismissing the elf as just some little girl and letting her do as she pleased was a mistake on his part. He had known of the Spirit Sorceress class for some time, but he hadn’t expected her to be able to wipe out such a massive amount of foes. No, there was something special about that elf.

As Zarish stepped out onto the balcony, he saw the girl looking up at the rain with an unfamiliar animal on her lap. His eyes were drawn to her slender neck and sophisticated side profile, confirming what his intuition had told him earlier.

She was like the queen of fairies.

Despite the darkness, her hair and skin seemed to glow in the night. Her skin was pale, and her flowing hair was whiter than any he had ever seen before. She stood out above the rest and had a distinct air about her like she was in the midst of maturing from a child to an adult.

...She’s perfect for my collection. I wanted that draconian, too, but... Oh well.

Draconians were so rare that they could only be found in written records. They were said to be very fickle with an astonishingly short temper but possessed vast power beyond imagination.

It was all because of that dopey-looking boy. Hatred boiled within Zarish, and he wanted to slap that boy for failing to keep her around for just a few more days.

As he stepped forward, the pet in the girl’s lap perked up, and she also turned to face him.

“This rain is a blessing upon this desert land. Are you alone?”

“Ah, Lord... Zarish.” The elf’s eyes widened and she tried to stand up in a hurry, but Zarish waved for her to remain seated.

At the corner of his vision, he caught a glimpse of Eve running into the boy. The drink he had in his hand spilled all over her dress, and he gave them a sidelong glance as he continued walking forward.

Zarish’s presence demanded such respect that even foreigners addressed him with a title. It wasn’t merely attributed to his high level but also his vast fortune, education, etiquette, and handsome face that could captivate women. His presence exuded an aura of success that women couldn’t help but take notice of.

Zarish smiled calmly, then spoke in a gentle voice.

“I came out here to get some fresh air. Would you mind if I rest next to you?”

“Not at all, please take your time. I was just about to head back inside.” Zarish’s thought process froze for a moment.

Many would have risked their life for the chance to spend time with him. He had great power, and whatever he wished for, he could make happen. Despite that, the girl stood, bowed gracefully, and moved to pass by him.

“A-Ah... I meant, there is something I wish to tell you,” he blurted out, and the girl turned around with a puzzled expression. They stood closer to each other now, and he could see her amethyst eyes and soft, vivid lips in greater detail.

“I had just heard earlier that you have been challenging the ancient labyrinth with only a party of two. I want to know why he puts such a lovely girl like you in such a dangerous situation.”

“‘He’? Do you mean Kazuhiro?” She looked up at him, seeming surprised by the comment. It seemed that the boy had at least earned the bare minimum of her trust, judging by how she didn’t seem to be expecting anyone to bring this to her attention.

In that case, the matter would be simple.

“Indeed. Normally, a leader must take the utmost care in ensuring the safety of his team. Yet, he has completely abandoned his responsibility to do so. I’m sure you’ve been put in situations where your life has been in danger before.” Considering that there were only two of them, three when that draconian was present, there was no way they hadn’t run into such perilous situations along the way. No matter how powerful a Spirit Sorceress she may have been, the group didn’t even have a tank to keep enemies at bay for her.

“If it were me, I could promise your safety and a life full of comfort and riches.” It seemed Zarish’s title held little bearing to the elf who had come from a foreign country. Therefore, he decided to have her picture a lifestyle of luxury beyond her wildest dreams.

No matter what race she may have been, women tended to be far more realistic than men. When presented with two different paths, they would seriously consider which one would be more beneficial, and this thought would affect their decision in some way. Such negotiations were clear-cut and simple to understand. Balance the choices on a scale, and it would become obvious which one was more valuable.

The girl thought about it for a moment, then exchanged a look with her pet with a troubled expression. She parted her beautifully well-shaped lips.

“No, actually. I haven’t had a scratch on me. Hehe... Strangely, I’ve heard rumors of people getting injured on your team.”

“That... was my fault for failing to see that she was feeling unwell.” He felt something cutting into him. Her reply had rebounded right off of the scales he had presented for her, and he wondered if she hadn’t sensed his value, despite him having been lauded as the hero candidate. The purity she exuded clearly made her seem like an innocent young girl, but there was a sense of deep intellect that contradicted that energy.

Zarish was honestly taken aback.

This is why savage elves are such a pain to deal with... Very well, I’ll take my time.

“Eve, how much longer can you hold him?”

“...If you command it, I can lead him into my room, but...”

“Do it now.”

He cut off the private chat quickly and smiled at the girl looking up at him. His handsome face must have seemed straight out of a fairy tale to her. It may have been too much to handle for a girl who had grown up in some no-name forest.

“Ah, Mariabelle, I only wish to become your friend. This almost makes me sound like I came to bad-mouth your leader.”

“Friend...? Um, no thank you... I don’t need any more of those.”

No thank you? Does she think I’m trying to sell her something? He maintained his smile but internally struggled to comprehend what was happening.

He was getting frustrated by his inability to control the flow of the conversation. He failed to get any results whether he pushed or pulled, and his irritation only piled up ever higher. How could this be, when he had the status, the looks, the power, and the experience in handling women?

And so, he decided to go straight for that dull heart of hers.

He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her in by the waist. Her back arched naturally, as if swept into a dance, and she was left positioned so that her glossy lips were right in front of his.

But her slender hips and smooth skin sent a thrill down his spine... Her eyes were wide and shining with an amethyst glint, riling up his desire to make her a part of his collection.

Yes, he wanted to make her his.

He wanted to force her to obey him unquestioningly, giving her the occasional punishment and forming a bond between master and servant. The excitement coursed through his body, coming from his hips. This was a sensation he hadn’t felt in a long, long time.

“Pardon me. I’ve been too roundabout in my approach. Mariabelle, I couldn’t stop thinking about you since the moment I saw you. Your eyes are too beautiful to forget.” For a moment, he wondered if it was his own heart that had been taken by her. He felt his own desire clearly and moved in to close the distance between his lips and hers.

He loved how slow everything seemed to be moving.

Her heartbeat was like that of a little bird, and he enjoyed the sensation of her soft breast pressed against him. Her beautiful face moved away from his, and... Wait, moved away?

Crack! Her cute forehead was rammed directly into his nose.

“Oaaargh!” He instinctively released the elf girl and reached for his nose in a state of complete shock. He didn’t feel any pain, of course. One’s level was everything in this world, and he couldn’t show such a pathetic display as having a bloody nose.

“That’s quite enough! I’m calling the guards!” The elf shouted with obvious anger, her forehead red from the impact.

He hadn’t expected her to threaten to call the guards on the man who would become the hero someday. He had the ability, of course, to take them out with ease if the situation came down to it. But he remained there, motionless, his ironclad self-esteem having been crushed.

He watched the hem of her sleeve waving as she sprinted back into the venue. After staring blankly for some time, his lips curled into a twisted smile.

...Ah, so be it, then. I will just need to discipline her as I would a wild horse. I’ll spend time with you every night and make you unable to think of anything but me.

Zarish laughed quietly, feeling the dark flames of desire igniting within him.

Now, he hadn’t realized it, but there was a chance that his heart had been taken by the elf girl, if only a little bit. That was why his desire for her never faded away, and it only continued to boil as the days passed.

There was something else that he failed to notice. The black cat that was with the girl had been staring at his ring.

Each of the eight rings worn on his fingers, excluding his thumbs, had subtle differences in their intricate ornamentation. Wridra the Arkdragon’s familiar observed them with great interest, a slight glint shining in its eyes.

＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋

“I’m sorry, but I need to go back to wor... I mean, back home soon.”

“What? Are you telling me you’re going to leave me all soaking wet like this? Just be quiet and take me into that room over there.”

“I promise to repay you later for the clothes I ruined. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” The boy’s attitude had changed suddenly, and he was no longer listening to anything she said. She wondered why his demeanor had undergone such an abrupt change when the night was just starting, and he was turning red when she’d shown off her ample cleavage not too long ago.

Not knowing what to do, she reached for his shoulder, but ended up swiping at thin air. He moved as if he had just teleported a few steps ahead, leaving Eve behind.

She stood there dumbfounded while the elf in question appeared from the balcony. The boy and the elf took each other by the hand and began descending the stairs.

“Wait, where’s Lord Zarish? Ah, there they go...” Her quiet comment immediately faded into the clamor of the party.

What she hadn’t understood was that a salaryman’s work hours were absolute. They marched into work in an orderly line even if they were in the midst of an earthquake, like modern-day samurai. Though, that trend had been changing as of late...

Regardless, the two stepped into one of the two carriages that they had arranged to take them back, then quickly crawled into bed to get some sleep.

If this had been a weekend, the story may have been completely different. But Wridra would be returning from her maternity leave by tomorrow night, and things would be moving forward quickly from there.