chapter 76

My pen ran on the paper as I was buried under a mountain of documents. I’m signing the documents that came from Rico and her crew.

Papers about army, taxes, farming, fishing, and people’s petitions……and so on and so forth, I briefly skimmed through the various documents before putting my signature on them. I’m finally doing a lord-like work.

The revival of agriculture with Mei in its center turned out to be unexpectedly successful. Daikon, cabbages, onions, and spinach that we sow during the autumn have been successfully harvested. Their taste was quite good too. That gave me the necessary confidence to increase the variety of vegetables grown on the fields. The people keep migrating to the territory, it’s not like everything proceeds smoothly but we manage to cope. At the moment, the rice grown on the paddy fields receives the bright rays of summer sunlight, I can’t wait for the autumn to harvest it.

「Well then, everyone, I have three suggestions to propose」

At dinner, I decided to tell everyone about the plan that I nurtured in my mind since a while ago.

「First, I’m thinking about opening another store in the capital」

「A store? What kind of store? 」

「A store that sells a variety of food ingredients」

There are stores selling food in the capital but they’re mostly specialized stores like rice stores, grocery stores, fish stores, and meat stores. Because they are scattered around the capital, common people need to spend quite a bit of effort to gather everything. I was longing for something like a supermarket since a while ago. And since there are none, I can just make one. The capital is short on vegetables and fish the most. If I can sell fresh vegetables and fish, the people will rejoice. Good fish and grocery stores are scarce but there are plenty of fishy stores that can’t reach the apex. [1] I didn’t like their attitude for quite a while.

The candidate for the store is already decided. There is a big warehouse on the west of the capital, about 200 meters away from my store. It seems to be a warehouse for a rice store but it’s not in use. However, it’s maintained well and stands in a place where a many people live, it bothered me for a long time. When I heard that the owner of the rice shop decided to sell this warehouse, I negotiated a much cheaper price than I expected.

Mediation from Akima of the red-light district’s Miraya helped me greatly. Apparently, she wants to establish a red-light district in the Kurumfar territory in the future. She provided me with this information in exchange for my help.

「I want to open it right after the autumn’s harvest. I have already decided on the name「Super Daquet」」

It’s not that sophisticated of a name, I can’t help but feel weird, though. Nevertheless, there is no particular problem. In that regard, it was approved without any objections.

「Second, I want to introduce a red-light district to the territory」

As expected, Rico wasn’t fond of this idea.

「You can consult with Akima from Miraya. I don’t plan to obstruct her. However, under the conditions of not hiring underage people, not using slaves, and respecting workers’ opinion. You can even say that I want for her place to be something like a salon for the people of culture. That’s why I plan to ask for an elegant external and internal appearance」

I was sure that Rico would object but she didn’t say anything and just agreed. Rather, it’s a great idea to make a place for cultured people like Ferris and Peris to gather! I was greatly surprised when I heard her saying that. Apparently, Rico was somehow convinced by turning it into a salon. [1]

「Third, I’d like to employ a slave for my new store, how is it?」

To be honest, I don’t have enough personnel to bring from the Kurumfar territory to here. I want my new store to succeed by all means. To do that, buying a slave is the best option, or so I concluded. Besides, Akima told me that the slave market would open on a day after tomorrow. I want to look at their slaves first.

「While I’m at it. I want to entrust the barrier stones store to a slave too」

「That’s reasonable. It’s better for Master to concentrate on the matters of the territory. Leaving the store to a slave is the best solution」

「What does everyone else think?」

「I think that would be for the best too. The slaves will work diligently」

「I think that Rinos-san’s method is good」

Since there were no objections, the visit to the slave market was decided on a day after tomorrow.

That night, Rico suddenly hugged me when I entered the room and pressed her face on my chest.

「…….Rico? 」

「What are you planning to do, buying a new slave?」

「I won’t really do anything. After they properly learn their duties, I don’t even mind releasing them, you know? 」

「Really?」

「What’s wrong?」

「……If you like them, won’t you make them into your concubines? 」

「I won’t, probably」

Rico raised her face and looked at me while breathing roughly.

「Probably? T-Then, does that mean that there is a possibility of you taking them as your concubines if you do like them? No, it’s not as if I’m going to say no, you know? I’m aware that men of high standing need to have concubines more so for Rinos who is an honorary Marquis a noble with only one concubine people may look down on you besides there is also a matter of my age it’s about time for me to step down and………[2]」

「Rico? Rico! Calm down! 」

I embraced Rico and rubbed her back.

「Afuu, haa, haa, fuu, but…..」

「I want to stay with Rico forever. Do you want to separate from me? 」

「…….Forever, forever, please stay with me forever」

I hugged Rico once again and carried her all the way to the bed in a princess carry.

Two days later, I was in the capital with Gon and Rico.

As I walked towards the slave market, I met an unexpected person. It was a slave dealer that sold Mei to me before.

「Well, well. I’m Maris from Yura firm. Thank you for your previous patronage. Are there any problems with a slave I sold to you? 」

「Forget about problems, it was a great bargain. She already became an essential person to me」

The slave dealer looked puzzled for a moment but swiftly regained his calmness.

「Are you here to participate in the slave market? In that case, my store is right there, in the back. There is still time until the slave market is opened, would you like to look at the slaves in my store? 」

Since I’m here, might as well look at them.

When we entered the store and arrived at the reception room, we were asked about our desired slave. With a good temperament, ability to judge, and preferable woman, I answered. We aimed for people with 「Education」skill. The ability to calculate is important for a store manager.

「The preparations have been completed」

Maris led us to another room. There were big wide chairs and a curtain before it. Once we took our seats, the curtain opened and 8 women in dresses appeared before us. I appraised the one by one and, surprisingly, discovered 5 people with 「Education」skill.

I look at the faces of those five. There were 2 humans, 2 rabbit beastwomen, and 1 cat beastwoman. The humans didn’t look eager and stood there with their eyes dead. One of the rabbit beastwomen was still a kid. The cat beastwoman was quite erotic. If I ever need a sex slave, she would be the right choice. She released her pheromones in full force and looked at me with moist eyes.

「All of them are aware that they will become sex slaves in the future. Except for that little girl」

「That rabbit beastgirl?」

「Correct. By the way, those two rabbit beastwomen are mother and daughter」

Looking closely, they do resemble each other. Both have a certain intelligence to them.

「Can I ask how did they land themselves into slavery?」

「She was a concubine of a certain monkey noble and the little girl is her daughter. Because she committed adultery, she was sold into slavery together with her daughter. It’s rare to see a mother-daughter pare as slaves. I will fetch a considerable price is they make it to the stage. Because you can enjoy them both」

He sure tries to push this pair onto me. Most likely, those two are the hardest to sell. I can see his desire to sell them to me. I took a deep breath and asked them.

「Numbers from 1 to 10. How many will it be if you add them? Try calculating」

「「55」」

「40」

The rabbit mother and daughter immediately answered. Another person answered at the same time but she wasn’t that enthusiastic about it and even made a mistake.

「How did you calculate?」

「From 1 to 10 has 5 in the middle. If you multiply 4 by 9 and add ten, it will be 55」

Answered the mother.

「Understood. I want to by this mother-daughter pair. How much? 」

「It’s 50000G」

「Quite expensive」

「Both of them are able to calculate」

「No, aren’t they doing some strange calculations? The answer was right but the method is all over the place. It was just a coincidence. Or can you prove that such a method is right? 」

「No, this is…..」

「Besides, the other one is still a kid and can’t do much. Considering that we will need to spend quite a bit of time and effort to train and educate her, it’s too expensive. If I’m going to buy them together…..」

「You’re correct. You have a point. Then…..How about 25000G? No, how about 20000 gold? 」

It suddenly dropped below fifty percent of the starting price. I wonder if he can lower it even more. Let’s try a more forceful approach.

「U~n, when thinking about their education costs…..」

「Then how about 10000G?」

I was halved again. Is it really all right? I looked at Gon and Rico next to me. Both seems to think that this price is reasonable.

「…..Well. This much should be fine」

「Thank you very much. Then let’s finalize the purchase right away」

The women left the room as I handed the money to Maris. After a while, the mother-daughter pair appeared again in different clothes.

「You luck is good. Starting from today this gentleman is your new master」

「Thank you very much. I’m in your care」

「…..In your care」

Then, Maris muttered some spell, asked me to give him my hand, and, when I did as I was told, my hand glowed. At the same time, the hands of the pair also lit up.

「With this, the mother-daughter pair became your possession. If they will become an inconvenience to you in the future, please do not hesitate to come here and we will buy them back from you」

After a round of pleasantries, we left the store.

「What are your names?」

「Master can call us however he wants to」

「No, you should have the names that you used before. I want to call you by them if you don’t mind」

「…….It’s Sonya」

「……..Ange」

The mother is Sonya, 28 years old, has「Education」at LV2. The daughter is Ange, 8 years old, has「Education」at LV1. The daughter, most likely, had a talent for education since birth.

「I’m thinking of letting you manage a store. Let’s discuss the details as we walk」

「…..Mother’s calculations aren’t wrong! 」

「Ange!……Please forgive her, Master」

「No, Ange is right. No, Ange is right. I said it to make him lower the price. Sonya’s method isn’t wrong, it’s right. It’s amazing that you know it. You must have studied a lot」

「No, I’m just……doing it because I like it」

「I want to make use of your talent. If you grow to the extent of being able to manage a store without any problems, I don’t mind releasing you from slavery. That’s why I want you to work hard」

「Are you going to release us?」

Ange’s eyes sparkled.

「Yeah, I will also pay you a salary. However, I want you to take care of the store for at least 3 years. After that, you can stay but you can also leave for another job. Until then, I’m going to count on you」

「「Yes, Master」」

The two managed to find a new hope for their future.

While we were talking about it, we arrived at the hotel, which hosted the slave market.