Before our plan officially started, I carefully surveyed the market and approached one of the busy employees.
âOh, thatâs because there was an explosionâŠâ
âAn explosion?â
âYes, there was a mishap with a magical device used to control slaves, resulting in an explosion. Fortunately, there were no casualties, so you can continue to enjoy your time here without any concerns.â
Although the employee said this with a smile, I could see collapsed guards lying on the ground behind him. If the guests saw this scene, it would be quite troublesome. Judging by the slow response, it seemed that they were also caught off guard.
âItâs about time to start the plan.â
With that thought, I sensed the right moment and spoke with a slightly stern expression.
âAlright, move aside.â
âPardon?â
âI came to check on the slave I left in the waiting room, and youâre in charge of the upper floor.â
As I spoke with an irritated tone, he wore a troubled expression and replied.
âM-My apologies, but⊠the slaves are not currently on the upper floor. They have been moved somewhere else.â
ââŠSomewhere else?â
âYes, as I mentioned earlier, there was an accident on the floor where the waiting room was located⊠So, we relocated the facilities on that floor to another level. Of course, the waiting room as well.â
The employee then pointed to a distant place where people were lined up.
âHence, if you wish to go to another floor, youâll need to use the floating elevator with the floating stone, rather than these stairs.â
ââŠIâve never been treated like this before.â
As I glared at the employee with a cold gaze, he hesitated for a moment before whispering to me in a soft voice.
âDonât worry, there is a secret elevator reserved for VIPs like you, Lord Frey.â
Saying this, the employee took out a map of the building from his pocket and pointed to a specific spot.
âIf you go here, a waiting employee will recognize you, Lord Frey, and guide you. So please, let go of your anger.â
ââŠHmm.â
âAccording to the information I received from the headquarters, there will be suitable compensation for all VIPs. Only for VIPs, not for regular members.â
Listening to his rather pleasant words and a wink, I took out a gold coin from my pocket and said,
âTake it.â
âYou donât need to give me this⊠Hehe.â
âNever mind, itâs merely pocket change for me. Anyway, Iâd like to borrow the map youâre holding for a moment.â
âThe map? Oh, certainly!â
As he handed me the map with a slightly puzzled expression, he bowed and said,
âThen please, have a good day!â
ââŠHmm.â
Leaving the man with the single gold coin and a beaming smile, I headed towards the location he had guided me to.
âDamn it, what has caused them to restrict access?â
âCan we rely on this? If they accommodate such a large number of peopleâŠâ
âItâs fine. Surely, the slave market, which colludes with the royal family to bury the lives of nobles, wouldnât take our lives lightly?â
I passed by the nobles guarding the elevator with unwavering trust in the slave market.
âIâm going crazy, whatâs happening?â
âWe were supposed to be monitoring the slaves, why do we have to get involved in this?â
âHey, theyâre giving us a hefty extra allowance. Quit complaining and letâs go.â
I made my way through the busy guards who were desperately hiding their weapons from the public.
ââŠLord Frey, greetings.â
âAre you my guide?â
I spoke in a hushed voice upon finding the employee who had been waiting in the dimly lit area.
âWell, letâs get started.â
âPardon?â
âBegin guiding me.â
ââŠUnderstood.â
The woman, who had briefly tilted her head in confusion, nodded silently as I said that and then began to guide me.
â The magical reinforcement of the cabinet is nearly complete. Weâll probably be able to finish it on time.
â I have ordered the Royal Knights to prepare their weapons. They can intervene at any moment.
â Lord Frey, this is Dmir Khan. I will do my best to fulfill the mission you have entrusted me with.
Of course, the âstartâ I mentioned had a double meaning.
âHereâs the temporary waiting room.â
âThank you.â
In the place I arrived at with the female employeeâs guidance, there was a room with an unassuming door.
It appeared that they had crammed the slaves into a regular room due to the severity of the situation.
âWell, have a good day⊠Huh?â
As I was thinking that, the female employee suddenly tilted her head.
âUh, uhhhhâŠâ
It turned out that strange moaning sounds were coming from the slave waiting room.
âPlease wait a moment, Lord Frey. Iâll check⊠Aaagh!â
I incapacitated the employee who was trying to enter the room with a tense expression by striking her on the back of the head with the cane I held. Then, with a calm expression, I entered the room.
âHello, Lord Frey.â
ââŠHello.â
As I did, Dmir Khan and the Demon Armyâs Chief of Staff Lemerno, who were present in the waiting room, greeted me.
Lemerno, however, did not seem particularly pleased to see me.
âWeâve tried to enhance the slaves as per your instructions, butâŠâ
While subtly observing Lemernoâs still-wary gaze, Dmir Khan spoke politely and pointed to the slaves.
âUgh, uhhhhâŠâ
âMy chest⊠itâs burningâŠâ
âHaah, haaahâŠâ
When I looked at where he pointed, the powerful slaves I had personally selected were moaning.
ââŠIt seems there wonât be many slaves entering the final stage, as expected.â
Dmir Khan was looking at the scene with an indifferent expression.
âStill, even if just one of them reaches the final stage⊠they will become as strong as the combat officers.â
âThatâs right. These slaves were originally handpicked by you, Lord Frey, and theyâve received both enhancement magic and a berserk curse, so itâs only natural.â
Dmir Khan chimed in, echoing my equally indifferent words, and soon began speaking with an expression full of anticipation.
âNow, all thatâs left is to raid the slave market.â
ââŠRight.â
âWith the Demon Army combat executives, rampaging slaves, and the remaining slaves, we can launch a joint attack⊠We can smuggle the slaves and take the nobles hostage.â
Despite my sullen response, he continued speaking with an expectant voice, his eyes gleaming as he addressed me once again.
âComing up with such an excellent plan, Lord Frey, youâre truly amazing.â
âThis is a plan that even Lemerno could come up with.â
ââŠThatâs high praise.â
When I casually mentioned that to Dmir Khan, Lemerno, who was beside him, quietly replied.
She still had a somewhat dissatisfied expression on her face.
âIs there some dissatisfaction, perhaps?â
âRegarding this operation, I just feel like something isâŠâ
As I casually asked Lemerno, she seemed to have been waiting for the opportunity to speak.
âAhem, ahem.â
ââŠNever mind.â
As Dmir Khan coughed and looked at me with admiration, she lowered her head and fell silent.
âAaaaaaaaah!!!â
ââŠHuh?â
At that moment, a scream began to echo among the slaves.
âIt seems we finally have a success.â
ââŠHmm.â
Turning my gaze towards the source, I saw a girl clutching her chest, trembling as she lay on the floor.
â WhooshâŠ
ââŠOh?â
However, that was only for a moment, as smoke started to rise from her body.
âUghâŠâ
In an instant, her appearance began to change.
ââŠDid you already predict this as well?â
âWho knows?â
As Dmir Khan stared blankly at the scene, he soon chuckled and spoke.
âHaving Lord Frey in the Demon Army is nothing short of a blessing.â
âYouâre giving me too much credit.â
âNot really.â
In response to my words, Dmir Khan wore a serious expression, and slowly rose to his feet.
âUghâŠâ
Pointing at the transformed Miho, who now had reddened eyes, had grown taller, and had eight more tails, he spoke.
âI thought weâd just gain a few strong slaves⊠But who could have foreseen that we would end up recruiting a legendary creature from the Eastern Continent?â
As Dmir Khan said this, he then coldly looked at the other slaves stretched out behind Miho.
âWith things as they are, the others seem inconsequential. How about we just put them in the sacrificial magic circle alongside the other slaves?â
ââŠWe should make the most of them.â
âUnderstood. In that case⊠Iâll go gather the young boy and girl slaves at the same time the operation begins.â
âAlright.â
With that, Dmir Khan and Lemerno left the waiting room.
âSoon, the world will bow at your feet, Lord Frey.â
He left, regretfully.
ââŠâŠâŠâ
Left alone in the waiting room with the transformed Miho and the temporarily unconscious slaves, I soon murmured and became lost in thought.
ââŠThis is where the problem begins.â
Miho, a fox demi-human from a remote valley village in the Eastern Continent.
This girl was neither a main heroine nor a sub-heroine, and wasnât even a supporting NPC⊠but she played a crucial role in this quest.
Thatâs because she, whose name wasnât even revealed in the original work, is the branching point of this quest.
âUgh, ughâŠâ
Among the numerous factors that drastically increased the difficulty of the already challenging Blacktail Fantasy 2, she is one of the so-called âwater gatekeepersâ, one of the mid-bosses.
âShe seemed formidable in some wayâŠâ
The information about her, written in the prophecy, is as follows:
About the mid-boss of the third main quest [Slave Market Liberation Mission].
The first mid-boss that appears in the third main quest and one that proved to be a formidable challenge for many players, the so-called âNine-Tailed Foxâ. It hails from a remote valley village on the Eastern Continent, where resident âmonstersâ who firmly believe they are fox demi-humans live.
Driven by the desire to uncover the truth behind her tribeâs short lifespan and to seek her own freedom, she ventures out into the world, only to be abducted by the slave market. There, she endures various forms of torture, abuse, and injustice, accumulating negative emotions.
As a result, on the day the slave market opens, she loses control of her pent-up emotions and goes on a rampage, absorbing the life force of âallâ living creatures in the market.
ââŠSo you were the mid-boss after all.â
The ancestorâs comments about her were indeed very detailed.
I almost quit the game because of her. Ah, I should have quit back then. Anyway, this cursed fox is the heroâs nemesis and exact counter. You can never beat her with ordinary methods.
According to my ancestor, Mihoâs ability as a mid-boss is to manipulate life force.
And my power source, the âHeroâs Power,â operates by burning life force.
In essence, she is the perfect counter to me.
That was why in the original timeline, multiple sacrifices were inevitable.
In other words, if the player wasnât on the false evil route, the game would take a dark turn following this quest, deviating from its previously sweet and bright atmosphere.
Even if you try to save her beforehand, the date she enters the market is completely random and unpredictable. Even if you manage to save her, she would go on a rampage with the intention of saving the other slaves, breaking into the slave market. If you try to kill her, you die. I thought I would go crazy trying to figure out the strategy.
The record of the ancestor, who had written down the chronicles of their strategy with as much passion as their own adventure, showed how deep their resentment had been.
âŠThen one day, I finally found the strategy.
The written account extended for several more pages before it finally reached its conclusion.
And it wasnât until I discovered the strategy that I came to realize.
The words, devoid of their usual friendly and humorous tone, exuded a serious atmosphere.
The true strategy of this cursed game.
According to my ancestor, finding Mihoâs strategy greatly contributed to discovering the âfalse evil route.â
That crucial strategy for her isâŠ
âYou, youâŠâ
ââŠAh.â
Lost in thought for a while, Miho, who had now fully revealed herself as a legendary creature, finally came to her senses and started to glare at me.
âAlright, itâs time to act again.â
âItâs about time I leave behind the peace, comfort, and happiness Iâve experienced until recently and face the hatred of the world once more.â
âWhat, whatâs this!?â
With that thought in mind, I wore a bewildered expression on my face.
Leaving the door slightly ajar, as if I had just entered.
âYou⊠What is this formâŠ?â
And so, I acted as though I hadnât grasped the situation yet.
ââŠâŠ.â
Maintaining the act, Miho, who had been staring blankly at her transformed body, said,
âWhat-What is this!?â
She approached me with a cold expression.
âAh, sit down!!â
ââŠHuh?â
Urgently, I exclaimed as she stood directly in front of me, she raised her hand with a blank expression.
âHow dare you, a slave⊠look at me with such insolenceâŠâ
âSlave?â
Upon hearing my words, she began to glare at me with cold eyes.
Redirect Mihoâs rage towards you, not the slave market or the nobles, but solely at you.
âYeah, thatâs right⊠Youâre a slave. I donât know what youâve done, butâŠâ
As I looked at her, I engraved into my mind the only way to control her, as written in the prophecy.
ââŠYou still have the âCurse of Obedienceâ on you, donât you?â
I finished with an arrogant tone.
â Whoosh!!
And in the next moment.
ââŠKehak!!!â
With incredible speed, Miho reached out to seize my throat, and said,
âSay that againâŠâ
Gazing down at me lying on the floor, her eyes devoid of warmth.
ââŠWhoâs the slave?â
She began to choke me.
-P.S. Itâs good to redirect her rage but donât let her drain your energy.
ââŠUgh.â
At the same time, the last piece of advice the ancestor had written in small letters began to weigh heavily on my mind.