10-37. The Man in Black Clothes (2)
Satou’s here. I guess communication in the ancient times relied on smoke signal and carrier pigeons? There were things like fast horses or postmen, but there weren’t anything real time like the internet and emails. Although there is magic in the other world, they don’t seem to be too wide-spread.
◇
I take the girls with the compounding skill to the living room.
“I’ll confirm it once again. Are you prepared to have your name changed and live as a different person?”
“””Yes, please.”””
The five girls voiced their consent in unison.
“Tifaliza, give a new name for these five. Starting from her it’s Ann, Beth, Chris, Debbie, and Emily.”
It’s a secret that I take the name from ABCDE in sequence.
Since Tifaliza used up all her magic power after naming three of them, I refilled it with [Magic Power Transfer].
I take the five freshly named girls to the hiding place that I’ve prepared on the nearest town to the labyrinth city, Furusau. For the ex-slaves, Chris and Emily, I need to do the troublesome procedure of making them into slaves once again and then release them. After we finished the procedures in Furusau town slave trader, Ann, Beth, and Debbie also got their IDs. I made the hesitating guard to grip a silver coin when the IDs were being issued, so it had gone smoothly.
“Now then, make the items written in this list.”
“Yes, Kuro-sama.”
I give a bundle of recipes to Beth and Chris who can read. I will provide their living expense during their life in this hideout temporarily in exchange for them to make the troublesome intermediately materials. Since Emily the ex-slave has swordsmanship skill, I give her an iron sword for self-protection.
◇
Next, I take the slaves to the hideout on the junction town of Kelton located beyond Furusau town. The hideout is reasonably big residence, but 55 people still can’t enter all at once as expected, so I only take 20 people at a time. I had their ears plugged and blindfolded since glossing over the chantless magic would be troublesome.
I go visit the smallest slave trader firm. I make the slaves to wait in the refuge.
“Is there anyone inside!”
“You don’t have to yell, I can hear you. My ears are fine.”
“I have a request.”
“Leave it to me. We have everything to your liking, either the blond big breasted girls, or the silver haired little girls. If you have a peculiar taste, tell us beforehand okay. We’ll teach them how.”
I stop the battered middle-aged slave trader who’s happily promoting while taking out a slide rule.
“There are 55 slaves who have lost their masters. I want you to make me their master with [Contract], and then release 25 of them. As for the payment for all those procedures including the necessary overhead, how about 20 gold coins?”
“I’ll take it! Let’s do it, like I’d let other people take such a delicious job.”
“Very well, then, follow me.”
The trader leaves the store to his boy staff, wears an overcoat, and then goes out of the store. I take him to the refuge with a carriage. I had the slave trader blindfolded like in some common plot. There’s no particular problem even if he knows, but it’s not really good if some strange rumor spread either.
Since the slave trader has ran out of magic power after using Contract for 15 people, I give him magic power recovery potion to drink, let him take a break, and resume the work. During each break, I bring the slaves who have been contracted back to the mansion of ivy, and then bring along new slaves out.
The slave trader seemed to be doubtful, but, losing to the gold before his eyes, he didn’t ask unnecessary questions. Cheapskate is the best.
I brought the slave trader, who’s blindfolded again, back and presented him with the promised 20 gold coins and high-class liquor I had bought in Furusau. For some reason, the slave trader’s face cramped when he was receiving the liquor. He must be very tired. Go drink some good liquor and dream good things.
◇
Now then, about the freed slaves, since they have production-related skills, I’m thinking of building production tenement houses which also double as workshops in the city’s vacant lot for them to live in. I had asked Porina, who had gone out together with the rescued explorers, to buy the vacant lot and build the temporary houses. They should be staying in some cheap inn for explorers until the tenement houses are built.
In addition, 18 of the 23 slaves with master have come back. The masters of the slaves who have been saved from the labyrinth have the right to them, but they need to pay remuneration for the explorers who have saved the slaves in the labyrinth that’s equal to buying the slaves anew. The masters of the 18 people who had come back didn’t want to pay that remuneration. They’re presently registered under Porina as their master.
I’m planning to let the slaves who have come back and the unreleased slaves to either work in the tenement houses as apprentices, or become explorers of the labyrinth. I intend to ask them to decide their choice themselves.
In the future, it’s just a coincidence that I, as Satou, am going to use the vacant land nearby the production tenement houses for the explorer training.
◇
In order to get the Wood Plate needed to enter the labyrinth, I go to the west guild.
“I’d like to register in the guild. The normal registration one.”
“Y, yes. I’m very sorry, but would you take off that mask? And also please tell me your name.”
“Ah, sorry. The name is Kuro.”
I take out the black mask which covered my eyes.
I change my voice to be rough with ventriloquism skill. I imagine it to be like the voice of Togawa Mikaru, a voice actor.
“This is the Wood Plate–“
“The explanation is unnecessary.”
I interrupted the female staff who was going to explain in accordance to the manual, took the wood plate with one hand, and then left the guild.
Since the carriage that links the east and west guild has come, I ride it behind boys who look to be beginner explorers. One of the boy seems to find my equipments unusual as he frequently looks back, but the other one rebukes him. Three veteran-like middle aged explorers get into the carriage, making it full, so it departs.
“Yo, brother, that weapon is a gun isn’t it?”
“You know well. Yes, it’s an old muzzle-loading gun called Musket.”
“As I thought huh. I’ve seen it in my local governor’s mansion.”
Guns aren’t a new weapon in Shiga kingdom, it’s more like an old obsolete tool from several hundreds years ago. The reason seems to be because its accuracy is low, and it’s hard to obtain the sulfur. There were also magic tool guns like the magic pistol I have, but since the military magic tools called Flame Wand and Lightning Wand are more popular, it has also become obsolete.
“Are you alright using such an antique like that?”
“It’s alright, no problem.”
I’m not lying. The middle-aged explorers didn’t pry more than that, maybe because there are a lot of explorer’s kinds. The boy who has been glancing behind since a while ago is slightly unpleasant. Just say it if you have something to say.
“Can I help you?”
“Hey hey, if you’re alone, why don’t you enter the labyrinth with us? We’ve just registered today too.”
What, they’re looking for a companion huh.
“Sorry. I already have an appointment in front of the labyrinth.”
“I see, that’s unfortunate.”
“That’s why I said not to do it.”
I don’t mind going with you guys if I don’t have a business, but I can’t do it now since I need to transport the lost thieves.
“Oy oy, isn’t it quite lively in front of the labyrinth today?”
“Ah, there are so many young girls gathered, maybe some Red Iron guys have come back from the middle part of the labyrinth? With so many girls like that, they’re probably waiting for the [Crimson Young Noble].”
“I’d like some~”
I thought that there were few high level explorers, so they’re assaulting the middle part of the labyrinth huh. One of the girl notices me, and then tells her friends.
“Kuro-sama!”
“We’ve been waiting for you Kuro-sama.”
The boys who are riding the carriage with me acting strangely while saying, “Eh? Kuro-sama? Eh?” Come to think of it, the boy who can’t calm down is called [Kerou]. It sounds a bit similar.
It goes without saying that the girls who are calling me are the freed explorers. The carriage can’t move due to the surrounding people, so I get down halfway through, and take everyone along to the labyrinth.
“Kuro-sama, there are 47 people in all. We’ve done all the preparations.”
The commander-san who’s hanging the ant wing silver sword stands beside me. 47 people, it’s like Ako vendetta. We move to the teleport point that has been prepared beforehand, and then I leave the girls behind and teleport to where the lost thieves are to transport them.
◇
“Hyahha! You guys, we can win if we all go at him!”
“””HOOOOO!”””
The lost thieves have been decreased by 10 people. There seem to be a dispute for boss. Having bloodbath is too much no matter how you look at it. I created several prisons with no hesitation.
Since I’ve taken their weapons away, they come attacking me with weapons made from stones and some kind of bones, and also by throwing stones with slingshot-like thing.
Why can’t you guys put those idea and effort for something proper.
I eliminate the stones which come flying with surprising accuracy altogether with the lost thieves by using three blazes of [Remote Stun]. They shouldn’t be able to get up since every one of them was hit by three orbs. With this, it’d be nice if the second group become quiet without causing trouble when I’m taking them.
I wrap the two former bosses of lost thieves who have killed their own friends together with the 10 corpses that they’ve killed by using cloth handed by the lost thieves who attacked me just now.
I tie the fainted lost thieves in 10 people group, and teleport them to the first area where the female explorers are waiting. I entrust the female explorers to wake the lost thieves and take them to the authority. It seems they’re being somewhat rough with the lost thieves when they’re waking them up, but when I consider their circumstance, I decide to look the other way as long as they don’t kill them.
While restoring my magic power with magic swords, I continued to shuttle 262 lost thieves, including the corpses. I leave the 38 people who haven’t committed felony like murder in the temporary prison. They would be treated like the other lost thieves if they go now.
I’ll take them along when I’m handing Sir Sokel to the kingdom later.
