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Chapter 156: True nature of the Slave Merchant
Translator: Tseirp
When we entered the front line of the battle, even though I was surprised that the 2 of them were struggling in battle, I applied 「High Heal」 from a distance and the smile pasted on the slave merchant’s face since before changed to an expressionless face.
“You’ve noticed it already? Even though it looked like you would easily fall into traps, it seems that you’re slightly capable of thinking.”
“You, the slave merchant, was the person who set up this strategy huh?”
The slave merchant once again returned to his smiling face and begin talking.
“Quite astute. I’d like to ask just for reference but why did you think that this was just a diversion and why were you not surprised to see me here?”
The slaves who were fighting until a while ago stopped their movements as if to listen to me.
“That’s because you were drunk on yourself and bragged about the method you used to commit your crime that went well once.”
“Hou. Did I say something that tipped you off?”
“Yeah. The point where they were betrayed by companions when they were challenging the Labyrinth of Traps, about the hydra that attacked them, about the people who caught the sisters outside, about the new adventurers who were murdered, you talked too much in detail. As if you were a concerned party or the one who made the strategy. Furthermore, at that time, you were smiling.”
They were truly small discomforts but they were there.
” … I see. I didn’t notice. However, what if the people who sold the sisters boasted about it?”
His tone was calm but his smile disappeared and he was trying to provoke me.
“If that happened, I would think of you who is using the same method now to be considerably stupid. Since it would mean that you are unable to come up with your own strategy.”
I’m rehashing but if the ones who were in front weren’t Shisho and Lionel and they came charging here together, the carriage might have been attacked and I don’t know how the adventurers laying in ambush would be implicated …
“If you live to say it. Hurry up and get rid of them.”
The angered slave merchant announced as he pounced at Shisho and Lionel but Kefin and Cathy jumped in to assist them.
While I applied 「High Heal」 on Shisho and Lionel, I continued to provoke the slave merchant by talking about his mistakes.
“Moreover, you committed a failure as a slave merchant. How did you intend to analyze 2 people who were in such severe conditions? If you could analyze them, it can only mean that you possess an Appraisal skill. Once I thought of that, the contradicting points connected.”
There shouldn’t be any skill other than Appraisal that can analyze those 2 who were in such severe conditions.
If there are other skills, it should be a skill that I don’t know even though I had glanced through the list of skills multiple times (when I was reincarnated).
Then, by knowing if the slave merchant has an Appraisal skill or not, I would be able to get him to show his true colors.
” ……… ”
“If I assume that you possess the Appraisal skill, I would be able to be convinced by 2 actions that you took. Firstly, after confirming my Holy attribute magic skill level when I visited the slave trading post, you asked if I could heal them. Secondly, you did not say anything regarding why I purchased the 2 of them in the auction.”
” … And what does that prove?”
While the fighting continued, the man glared at me as if he was irritated.
“You were unsure if I could heal the sisters and was frustrated that I outwitted you so you asked your subordinate to mistreat the sisters when I came to receive them to anger me and perform some trick during the slave contract binding right? Although you wouldn’t have guessed that I would dispel it immediately.”
” … It just means that not everything will go as plan.”
“Plan?”
“Since you hold so many skills and you are of the same age as me, you’re a reincarnated person right? If you teach me how you acquired so many skills in just 6 years, I don’t mind pulling back this time?”
Even though I thought that he possesses an Appraisal skill, he didn’t look like he was about 20 years of age so I was shocked as I didn’t suspect him to be a reincarnated person.
“I don’t know about what reincarnated person but I’ll restrain you here and make you reveal all your crimes.”
” … As a reward for derailing my plans, quietly stand there and look as I make your own companions my pawns.”
The slaves abandoned their own lives as they all clung onto Shisho and Lionel.
“Don’t mess with me! Like I will let a person who relies on others to fight to hurt my important companions!!”
Breaking through my doubts after finding out that the opponent is a reincarnated person, I decided to cast 「Dispel」 using 「Magic Circle Chant」 on the slaves.
My magic circle was drawn over the bodies of the slaves.
“Tch, aim for that person in white robes.”
While pretending to be calm, the slave merchant seemed impatient as he ordered everyone to attack me when I activated my magic.
As expected, he doesn’t want to me dispel their slave crests.
I released 4 of the people with 「Dispel」 one at a time.
I believed that Instructor Broad and Lionel would completely stop the slaves approaching me so I focused on dispelling.
“Use your heads a bit when fighting. You trash!!”
The slave merchant instructed them to perform long distance attacks but I was protected from all those attacks by Cathy and Kefin.
Repeatedly casting 「Dispel」, the pressure exuded by the enemies weakened at once.
Then, when I had expended about half of my magical power, after I finished releasing all of the slaves, the combat came to a stop.
“You bastard, do you know how much time and money I spent to gather these amount of slaves!!”
Even though the slave merchant revealed his anger, I felt a sense of discomfort from the complete stillness.
For such a smart guy, would he snap just because his slaves were released?
I once again confirmed the situation and immediately gave out instructions.
“Even though I have released them from slavery, it doesn’t mean that they will stop … listening to orders as slaves.”
My words gradually became softer.
Because while I was in the middle of shouting, Shisho and Lionel had already begun sorting the released slaves and cutting them down.
They probably noticed the cause for the sense of discomfort faster than I could.
That there were some among them that would attack us even after they have been released from slavery.
“Truly reliable. Cathy, Kefin, please protect the carriage.”
I decided that the defense here was already sufficient and requested them to protect the carriage.
Of course, the ones there can fight too but I don’t want them to appear in front of this slave merchant.
“”Yes!””
Cathy and Kefin received my order and fell back.
I once again cast 「Area Barrier」 on everyone before staring at the slave merchant and he returned my stare with an expressionless face.
“Ah~ah, so dull~ the games ended. Even though I planned to use you all as high-level sacrifices after they sharply cut you all down when given an opening …”
The slave merchant gave a dubious remark as the released former slaves were about to attack but the slave merchant raised his hand up towards the sky and a reddish-black magic circle appeared in the sky that released a magic with reddish-black light that blew apart the former slaves.
What exactly is this person?
Even though he’s a reincarnated person, does he intend to be a field boss?
While tsukkomi-ing in my heart, I refined my magical power within my body and spoke to the slave merchant.
“What do you intend to summon with that magic circle?”
“Hou. I’m surprised you know that this is a summoning magic circle. Although it would have helped if you misunderstood it as an attacking magic. Perhaps it’s still recorded in the church records? That’s right, this is a summoning magic circle for the sake of summoning powerful demons or monsters. Despite the sacrifices being slaves, it’s capable of summoning a slightly strong monster.”
Even though he mentioned live sacrifice himself, I could already see him as a person governed by insanity.
I’m interested in the slave merchant’s story so I attempted to think calmly.
” … Earlier, you mentioned reincarnation. If you are an existence that has experienced a rebirth, why do you deviate from the path of a human? With that head and leading ability, you should be able to get whatever you wish for!”
The face of madness changed to an expressionless face and glared at me.
” … I have indeed died once and was reborn by the God’s power. But what awaited me was … this rotten barbaric world where it’s the survival of the fittest. A person like you who was born with such blessed abilities would probably not understand.”
The pressure exuded by the magic circle begin to rise.
It might be the thought of every reincarnated person.
That speaking of fantasy worlds, it gives the impression that anything can be done with magic.
But the reality is that it is a circumstance where you’re next to death’s door every day so it’s probably not strange to become like the slave merchant.
“But that doesn’t mean that you lived all by your own right? There should have been people who supported you.”
“There was. That’s why I decided to take revenge against this world that murdered the people who supported me. I will destroy this world and rebuild it!!”
The man was elated, seeming like he was about to summon something evil.
And it looked like the man had no intention of stopping the summon.
” … That’s unfortunate.”
“Kukuku. There’s nobody left to help you. You cheat bastard loved by the Gods, become my experience points!! Come out, wha, what?!”
『Bachi Bari bari』 The reddish-black magic circle begin to crack and a pale white magic circle covered over the black magic circle.
Using almost all of my remaining magical power, I overwrite the reddish-black magic circle with 「Sanctuary Circle」.
“Sorry, but I won’t let you summon it. For the sake of my dream, I will not let you spill any more meaningless blood!!”
The activated 「Sanctuary Circle」formed a light pillar that swallowed the reddish-black magic circle and the next instant, everything was swept away with a blast.
“Healer Luciel, I will crush your dreams the next time we meet so prepare yourself.”
I heard the voice of the slave merchant next to my ears the instant the explosion happened.
When the wind stopped, the figure of the slave merchant was nowhere to be seen.
Thus, while having a stomach ache from making a new enemy, I firmly swore to endure the training so that I won’t die.
Author’s note:
Thank you for reading.
Although it felt slightly overbearing …
