Appearing connections.
While Claude and others were awaiting the slave trader, Felice’s group who was at standby at the carriage was eating.
“Al, eat veggies too!” (Gai)
“I will eat them later.” (Albert)
“You are saying that, but you have never eaten them!” (Gai)
“Ah, there you go, everyone. We have plenty so don’t be reserved. Gray-kun’s group too, eat up.” (Felice)
“Can call me Gray… please. “ (Gray)
“Thank you very much for saving us.” (Nick)
“We would have gotten sold if it were only us.” (El)
“At worst, death… ham, ham……… gratitude.” (Rona)
“Rona! Express your gratitude before eating, okay!?” (Gray)
“You have to thank for the food properly.” (Nick)
“And don’t talk while eating!” (El)
“Gulp… but I am starving. And this is yummy.” (Rona)
“””Ugh…””” (Gray, El, Nick)
~~ Guu~
The three who scolded Rona who was eating before they noticed put their faces closer to Gai’s special-made sandwiches, causing their stomachs to rumble and their faces turn red.
“Now, now, eat up as well, you three. Yahar-san and others too, do have some.” (Felice)
“Yes, thank you very much. I wanted to express my gratitude for saving us, you even helped us recover our store’s goods.” (Yahar)
“It was just a coincidence, though. We wouldn’t know if we didn’t accept baggage-carrying request yesterday.” (Felice)
“Yes, it was truly a blessing in disguise. Nevertheless, this is really delicious, isn’t it?” (Yahar)
“The food was made by Gai.” (Felice)
“Desserts were made by Feli, though.” (Albert)
“Umm, this may be shameless of me, but can we take this home with us… please?” (Gray)
“You don’t have to force yourself to speak respectfully, Gray. We are currently adventurers, just like you.” (Albert)
“Err… then, won’t you share the food with us?” (Gray)
“You really don’t have to hold back to eat here, though.” (Felice)
“That’s not it, I would like my mother, little brothers, and little sisters try it as well.” (Gray)
“You said you guys were from an orphanage, right?” (Albert)
“Yeah. We had food every day in the past, but recently…” (Gray)
“We are the oldest in the orphanage, so we decided to work in order to buy food.” (Nick)
“But, there weren’t any places that would employ children like us.” (El)
“That’s why we became adventurers.” (Rona)
“You say you are the oldest, but how old are you guys? Me and Al are ten, Gai is… Gai is~”
“I am 18.” (Gai)
“I am 12, Nick and El are 11, Rona is 10. We have become adventurers just recently and still are E-ranks.” (Gray)
“Do you not have weapons?” (Albert)
“We’d rather food than weapons, after all.” (Gray)
“Besides, we don’t know how to use them.” (Nick)
“We thought we didn’t have a need for weapons since we were E-ranks.” (El)
“Didn’t end well.” (Rona)
(I wished to become an adventurer on my own, and everyone helped me. But, these children did not wish to become adventurers. Despite that, they are desperately doing their best for their family.)
While Felice who heard about the situation of Gray’s group was thinking just how blessed her environment is, Yahar who was eating inquired.
“You have a Sister in the orphanage, no? In that case, it would make the orphanage a country’s orphanage and you should be receiving monetary support.” (Yahar)
“Monetary support? Come to think of it, Mother did say that it was thanks to His Majesty that we could eat proper meals in the past.” (Gray)
“The other day, I heard Mother saying that the Priest…-sama did not have any money.” (Gray)
“If Sister is your Mother, wouldn’t be the Priest like your father?” (Felice)
“That fellow is not our Father.” (El)
“Absolutely not.” (Rona)
While feeling uneasy about El’s and Rona’s displeased reply to Felice’s question, Yahar continued talking.
“I did not hear anything about monetary support being canceled.” (Yahar)
“Eh? Then why did that guy say that there was no money?” (Gray)
“That’s… “ (Yahar)
“””That priest is suspicious.””” (Albert, Felice, Gai)
“… Indeed.” (Yahar)
“”””!?”””” (Gray, Nick, El, Rona)
“What, did something happen?” (Meison)
Hearing Yahar’s faltering words, Felice, Albert, and Gai’s words overlapped.
When Gray and the other three opened their eyes wide in shock, Meison peeked his face at the entrance.
“Meison-san? What’s the matter?” (Felice)
“I heard from Claude about the Chimera so I came. Rather than that, what about a priest?” (Meison)
“Actually~~” (Felice)
When Felice explained the situation, Meison frowned.
“As Yahar-dono said, the monetary support system is still ongoing. The priest certainly is suspicious, but the money should have been in the custody of the Feudal Lord. It might be the Feudal Lord. Or perhaps, both of them. It would be better to report this to Claude.” (Meison)
“Then, shall I go tell him?” (Gai)
“Not right now. He’s in the midst of capturing the slave trader. Olivia will come to notify us when they are done.” (Meison)
Meison did not know what Claude had in plan for the bandits, so he decided to wait for the notification by the carriages.
Rona who had received a shock because of the matter with the priest reacted to Olivia’s name.
Her eyes were seemingly sparkling.
“Olivia… -san, the person in black?” (Rona)
“Person in black? Ah, yeah. Correct. She’s the person who came to notify us that help is on the way.” (Felice)
“That person had no presence and scent. Amazing.” (Rona)
“You are interested in Olivia, Rona?” (Felice)
“Yeah.” (Rona)
“Rona is sensitive to presences and scent. Both Rona and I are Beastmen who so finding those who hide their presence is our strong point, but she is not possible. I think Olivia-san is incredible despite being a human.” (Gray)
“Yeah.” (Rona)
“That reminds me, Feli got startled each time Olivia suddenly appeared in the past.” (Albert)
“Indeed. Even you and I can’t notice her without magical power detection.” (Gai)
“Thank you very much for your generous praises. However, I find it unfortunate that I can’t witness Felice-sama’s adorable expression when startled.” (Olivia)
“”Certainly.”” (Albert & Gai)
“I am not adorable! There’s no need to be startled anymore, I now feel that it’s given for Olivia to be by my side, it makes me feel at ease… anyhow, there’s no need to get startled since it’s Olivia, right?” (Felice)
“Felice-sama…” (Olivia)
Gray and others stared with their mouths open at Oliva whose cheeks dyed pink from being deeply moved.
“””… Wha, you are here!?””” (Albert, Felice, Gai)
“””… Wha, you are here!?””” (Albert, Felice, Gai)
“… Amazing, just as I thought.” (Rona)
“Fufu, thank you very much. Something of this degree is only natural of maids.” (Olivia)
“”””Ohh~””””
“As if! The Faust Household is special! Rather than that, what’s up? Did you catch them already?” (Meison)
“No, we actually met with unexpected difficulties. I was sent to get Albert-sama and Gai’s help.” (Olivia)
“Me and Al?” (Gai)
“Something beyond Tousama’s capabilities.” (Albert)
“Olivia, what happened?” (Felice)
“The guards of the slave trader are a bit troublesome.” (Olivia)
“””The guards?””” (Albert, Felice, Gai)
While everyone tilted their heads, Olivia started explaining.
We go back in time a little, just when Meison left towards the carriage and when Claude was considering how to deal with the bandits.
“Should I use the new drugs? Or that thing? But, the side effects are still… well, they are bandits so it should be fine? I will just tell Austin and others that it was an unfortunate accident, the problem is whom to use it on? Oy, is there a volunteer?” (Claude)
“”””…………”””””
“None? Can’t be helped, then… let’s go with you.” (Claude)
“Hii!?”
The bandit Claude directed his gaze on was the woman that cut Felice’s hair.
The woman let out a shriek and tried to escape, but she wasn’t able to do that because of the restraints.
“Don’t worry. You won’t die. But, I can’t guarantee that you will stay sane.” (Claude)
“W, what are you planning to do!?”
“What, I am just going to use the newly developed truth serum on you. It still has some side effects, though. After use, you will experience hallucinations, full-body pain, cloudiness of consciousness, things like that.” (Claude)
“Y, you can’t do that to me! Didn’t the person before say that we are going to be judged!”
“Didn’t I say it too? That it’s an unfortunate accident.” (Claude)
“!?”
The woman realized that Claude’s words were never a joke and was at a loss for words.
There, Olivia quietly appeared.
“Master, the slave trader is here. There are two guards and I sense several people in the carriage.” (Olivia)
“All right, let’s capture him alive as planned.” (Claude)
“Roger!” (Olivia)
Claude and Olivia used stealthing magic tool and concealed their figures.
The carriage approached and a man descended from the carriage before the restricted bandits.
“What is this!? Oy, Gurga, what happened!” (Slave trader)
“………”
“Say something!” (Slave trader)
The man spoke to the bandit chief, but he couldn’t talk because of Felice’s magic, and could only roll his eyes around.
The man who did not know about this called out to Gurga, but because Claude and others appeared at this moment, he quickly hid behind his guards in shock.
“W, who the hell are you!?” (Slave trader)
“So you are the slave trader who is in collaboration with the bandits? Let yourself get obediently captured.” (Claude)
“Capture, you say? Who do you think I am! I am the country’s best slaver trader, Kuzuo! I am backed up by the Feudal Lord of Branka and Feudal Lord of the neighboring Celsior! You have no place to put your hands on me!” (Kuzuo)
“Backed up by Feudal Lords… I see. Then, there’s a need to capture the Feudal Lords too.” (Claude)
“Hmph! As if you could even touch the Feudal Lords!” (Kuzuo)
“You keep thinking that if you wish. Capture them!” (Claude)
“Who do you want to capture!? Oy, protect me!” (Kuzuo)
Abiding by Kuzuo’s orders, the two guards stepped forward.
Looking at those two, Claude squinted his eyes.
One of the guards, a man, had silver ears and a fluffy tail, the other one was a woman a head shorter than the man, her skin was partly scaled, and she also had a lizard-ish tail.
The aura the two released obviously spelled that they are very powerful, but the people of the Faust Household who occasionally trained with Albert and Gai did not falter whatsoever. There was a different reason Claude squinted his eyes though.
The two had slave collars around their necks and their eyes had been heartlessly crushed.
“These guys may not see, but they won’t lose to the likes of you! After all, the man is a Beastman descended of Fenrir, the subordinate of the Demon Lord who got defeated by a Hero, and the woman is from a Dragon Gods-revering dragon race that is considered to be the strongest among the Beastmen! It was difficult getting my hands on them, but they are the strongest slaves!” (Kuzuo)
“A Hero that defeated a Demon Lord and Dragon King… they indeed seem difficult. We are on a limited time… Olivia.” (Claude)
“Yes, I will call them.” (Olivia)
“HA HA HA! Are you frightened now!” (Kuzuo)
Kuzuo who misunderstood Olivia’s disappearance for fear laughed out loudly with a superiority complex, but that would change soon.
Each person who listened to Olivia’s explanation had a different reaction.
“Your retainer, Gai?” (Albert)
“I was once a Demon Lord, after all~ Aren’t you revered too?” (Gai)
“Even if they said they revere the Dragon Gods, I am not the only one, so I have no idea.” (Albert)
“If I am not mistaken, Dragon Beastmen revere all Dragon Gods.” (Meison)
“I want to go too! A Fenrir! Mofumofu!” (Felice)
“… Can’t be helped. I will remain here, so you go with them.” (Meison)
“Yaaay~! Thank you, Meison-san!” (Felice)
Gai laughed at Albert who was watching Felice thank Meison with sparkly eyes.
“Kuh… how pitiful you are.” (Gai)
“Shuddup!” (Albert)