The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Chapter 73 part1

Translator's Corner: To make releases more regular I'm going to be splitting chapters into two parts since they're so long . Small chapters will still be normal though . I'll see how this goes before making a finaly decision .

Giant Magic Steel Dragonfly

Time to eat .

Stones are piled to stand up two iron bars . A large black pot is hung from the iron bars over the fire .

A wooden bowl is filled with hot water and placed it to the side .

A large onion, green pepper, and fish are put in the hot pot, then I watch the brown juices boil .

It's making me hungry .

The smell of the steaming vegetables and salt drifts .

I'll be a little extravagant today .

Taijiki wanted to offer his gratitude and opened his supplies to prepare food .

Everyone eats, drinks, and sips the hot soup .

I can take a fresh meal out of the item box when I want, but that's not important, everyone is eating happily, so I keep them company and smile .

The red-haired Fran is smiling too .

The invisible hawk is perched on her right shoulder .

She came back from reconnaissance a while ago with the hawk on her shoulder, she may have been able to get in contact .

I appreciate the beautiful smiling woman .

Then,

"…Shuya, you've already seen it, but there is more than just goblins and orcs here . From here on out the Giant Magic Steel Dragonfly (Alloy Dragonfly) appears . "

Gomez emphasizes the name of the monster with his beard soaked in soup juices .

Fran's face has recovered…Ma, as we're talking we get on topic .

"…What are they?"

"You don't know? This place is famous . It's an enormous dragonfly monster . You can acquire magic steel if you defeat one . They're famous for their magic steel armor . "

Ah, that reminds me, Marquess Chardonnay mentioned them .

"A giant dragonfly? I haven't seen one . "

"Is that so . Unfortunately, once the marshes increase you'll see more than your fair share . Also, we'll probably encounter adventurer clans hunting them . "

Eating a cabbage-like vegetable, Fran joins the conversation .

"…Magic steel armor? I've heard rumors that half of Holkerbam's adventurer clans are employed by trading firms . "

Gomez and Fran seem to know a lot about magic steel .

"It can't be helped . So many giant dragonflies breed in the marshes regardless of the season, and except Osberia, it's the main export . Adventurers gather where there is money to be made . Right?"

"Where there is profit there are merchants . "

"So that's how it is? Gahaha . "

Gomez and Fran repeat their Q&A while laughing .

I leave my seat while they're talking .

I return to Popobumu with a sauce plate .

I am worried about my prisoner, Misty .

Her hands are tied behind her, sitting on Popobumu's back she is staring at the Hayme river while behaving herself .

Rollo is sleeping above Misty's knee on her robe .

Rollo looks extremely attached .

When I approach, Misty looks in my direction and speaks .

"Hey, we'll be in Holkerbam soon, what are you going to do about me?"

"What to do, should I kill you? Sell you? This is hard~ . "

"…I'd appreciate it if you didn't kill me . "

Her gaze falls on the ground .

She mutters with a distant expression .

Ma, I mentioned killing her, but I have no intention of doing so .

She's a criminal, but I've killed and tortured humans before .

However, I can't say I'm perfect, I'm a blood-sucking monster after all .

I'm similar to a person, but my existence deviates from standard logic .

Besides, she's a beautiful woman . (TL: There's the Shuya we know and love!)

She's also a skill holder, and I learned interesting things from her .

I'll probably keep her alive . Ah, that reminds me, I have the permits for a slave trainer that Kuna had .

So, should I enslave Misty?

Speaking of slaves…

The slaves sold in Hector all wore a black collar .

Those should be sold somewhere-

"-Shit, hey, say something, don't just stand there being quiet . "

Misty disturbs my line a thought .

She appeals with desperate eyes .

"Ah, I was thinking about something . Sorry . After all, I won't kill you . "

"Then you'll make me a slave?"

Enslavement…

Mmm, talking like this is unreasonable .

I did kill her brother…It doesn't sit well with me .

I'm particularly worried about enslaving her since she keeps dropping shit, shit, all the time .

I could release her already . I'll think about it .

Besides, I keep thinking about how beautiful she is . (TL: Shuya, EXPLODE!)

Oi, that's important to me . (TL: Uh, sorry . ) I'm happy to meet a beautiful woman, but…I guess that's it .

I'm okay with unquestionably killing someone if they aim for my life .

I could let her go .

"…Depending on the circumstance, I may let you go . "

"So…eh? That, really?"

"Yeah . "

"You'd let me go? It can't be, you've fallen for me? Are you after my body? But isn't it obvious I would sell for a lot with this seal on my head? This skill is proof that I used to be a noble . If you sold me I would go for at least five white gold coins…"

Misty appears upset .

Her browns eyes are darting back and forth while she talks .

I wouldn't want to sell her although the price would be high . I guess the appeal is the opposite…

Such a trivial thing, it doesn't need to be said .

"…Fine white gold coins, that certainly is a lot . I would be right to sell you . However, as of now, I have to say over your life-and-death . So, I can sell or kill you at my own convenience . Moreover, I have money . I don't need to sell you . Plus, I'm a man, so of course, I'm interested in your body . However, I won't force myself on you . "

"Uh…weirdo… I can tell from the purple glitter on your grey overcoat that the cloth is extremely high-quality . …You wiped out the thieves group, that spear ax isn't an ordinary halberd . "

"That's right . Because of that, I can afford to let you go, but…"

Misty looks at me as what starts to find hope .

"What?"

I meet her eyes, raise a finger and speak .

"First, don't look for revenge . Second, don't enter a thief group . Third, you can go to any city aside from Hector . Fourth, do not try to kill me . By the way, next time you attack me I won't hesitate to kill you . "

"Is that enough?"

"It's fine . However, can you really stop looking for revenge?"

I focus on Misty's eyes .

She silently returns my stare until she is forced to look away .

"…What you said might be impossible . I am known as someone from the Gustave House . The nobility from Gustave had everything stripped from us, and we were driven out of Hector… my father and mother died in despair . It's all because of that older brother . I want to find and kill him . I also want to kill the nobles of Osberia who destroyed the Gustave house . I especially can't let the Marquess get away…the people living in Hector are horrible…haa, it's no use, no matter what, I can't let go of my hate . "

She's honest about her hate .

"It can't be forgotten?"

"Oh well…the chains of hatred are coiled around my heart . "

Misty's brown eyes are burning .

Indeed, deep in her eyes I can see a swirling black chain .

"Honesty . You could have lied though . "

"You spoke kindly about releasing me… I didn't want to lie to you . I wonder about that?"

"Haha, it's an extremely admiral feeling . "

"It seems like I'll become a slave, shitty woman, my hobby of listening, letting it escape, I heard something kind after such a long time, the kindness made me waver . "

Misty's face turned red .

"If you have such feelings, I feel like you can forget vengeance… . "

"…Perhaps . There might be other roads . "

It feels like the chains of hate disappeared from her eyes .

Then, even if it's a lie, isn't it okay?

Even if 【Osberia Kingdom】 is damaged, I don't serve this country .

This isn't definite proof, but I want to believe her .

"That's right . I believe Misty can find other roads . Like, an adventurer?"

"Adventurer…"

"Ma, it's an example . I'll let you go tomorrow when we arrive in 【Holkerbam】 . "

"…Thank you . Giving me a chance to restart…I really couldn't have argued if you killed me . "

"It's fine . Sleep soon, ah, wait . It's cooled down but eat this . It's good . "

I say so and temporarily remove her shackles, then hand her the pot filled with food .

"U-un . "

I decided to free her, besides there's are a lot of things I don't understand about slavery . Well, I could have the merchant Taijiki teach me about buying and selling slaves .

I walk away from Misty toward the covered wagon Taikiji is in .

"Taijiki?"

"Hai . "

Taijiki appears from the covered wagon .

"I have a few questions, is now okay?"

"Eh, hai . It's fine . I'll come out in a minute . -So, how may I help you?"

Taijiki comes down from the wagon and speaks .

"It's sudden, but I some questions I'd like to ask . "

"Eh, since it's Shuya, you can ask anything . "

"…If I were to sell the prisoner I took, what slave merchant would you recommend?"

"A recommendation . That, after all, you should go with a slave merchant from a larger firm . Still, if you're going to sell…I would like you to sell to my trading firm . After all, my life was saved by Shuya . I can ask the chairman to buy her for a high price . "

Is that so . He can't recommend a specific firm .

"I see . I'll remember that when I sell . And then, what are the qualifications of slave dealer?"

"The country provides a license . If you have the qualifications, you can participate in slave auctions, and other transactions with slave traders are possible . They're first class since you can't buy or sell slaves at a slave trading firm if you're a first-time customer .

First-time customers are refused .

I remember playing with an apprentice geisha-san .

"There's such a store, huh? How does enslavement happen? And then, I would like to hear how one becomes a slave trader . "

Taijiki nods and quickly continues his explanation .

"To directly perform an enslavement you need a document of contract, a collar of subjugation, and the blood of the master and blood of the slave are dropped on the collars . In regards to slave merchants, the subjugation collar, the person, and the documents are held, if you already belong to a trading, you can be considered a slave merchant . "

It's useless unless there's a trading firm because they're professionals .

This is enough from the perspective of a customer .

"…I see, for example, saying I had a slave, could I sell them to a different adventurer without going through a merchant?"

"It's possible, but the private selling and purchase of a slave isn't realistic . A new collar of subjugation is needed, and the documentation and collar are expensive if one doesn't belong to a trading firm . Also, if a slave resides in a city without permission they are penalized by the government . "

"Application? Sounds complicated . "

"It's alright because when a slave is bought from a merchant who belongs to a trading firm all the government procedures are handled . "

"Ah, it's like that . "

With the blank subjugation collar, qualification certificate, and required slave documentation, after all, I'll need to leave it to a slave trader if I don't enter a firm .

I won't be able to enslave someone easily .

It's too much to do myself .

Still, in distant lands, there may be places where the slavery system is different than this .

In the end, I ask about this area .

"…I understand . I heard what I wanted to know . Thank you for taking the time to teach me . "

I politely lower my head to Taijiki-sensei .

"No, no . "

"Well then, see you tomorrow . "

When we arrive at the city tomorrow, I will let Misty go .

I walk away from Taijiki using <Night Vision> .

I walk along the night bank of the Haym river .

Pale and purple flowers dot the green shores .

The evening Haym river… a gentle breeze caresses my cheeks .

A refreshing cold stings my cheeks .

Guess I'll sit here .

I choose a suitable location where no flowers are blooming .

I take a blanket from a bag, place it on my waste, hug my knees and enjoy the temporary break .

Rollo has come to my side .

She sits beside me quietly .

The chilly evening wind from the Haym river brushes her black fur .

We enjoy a beautiful night sky under the moon together .

The dark blue sky has two moons . The bigger one is missing .

However, because the way the light shines from the fragmented pieces of the moon, it creates a beautiful sight .

The moonlight is reflected on the river surface .

Silver ripples of light flicker .

Rollo watches the silver river expressionlessly with her bright crimson eyes .

Clouds cover the moon, and the river surface darkens .

Once the clouds flow and the moon returns, the river surface glitters silvery again .

Rollo has been watching the scene expressionlessly and now looks around her little head .

Like this, with the moonlight from the Haym river illuminating Rollo, I fall asleep .