The text has been revised on 12/28/H27.
The text has been revised again on 3/26/H28.
The text has been revised yet again on 4/14/H28.
The number of kanji characters has been slightly reduced.
1. Return
My name is Hal Raymond, I am currently 14 years old and will be 15 in a few months, reaching adulthood. I am a boy with an unremarkable appearance. My father, Dalos Raymond, runs a major slave trading company, and as I am expected to learn the family business soon, I was on a “Patrol Purchase” journey as an apprentice slave trader.
This trip was initially going smoothly, and I had purchased three slaves, but then I unexpectedly became involved in an incident.
Currently, two beautiful girls are accompanying me in the carriage, which I was supposed to be traveling alone. One is named Mai, a beautiful, slender girl with black hair. The other is Elise, a former princess of a fallen small country. She has silver hair, a cool demeanor, and a voluptuous body.
And there was a delicate problem between the two of them.
That’s because Mai was a disposable assassin called a “Killing Doll,” sent as an assassin after Elise, who had escaped from the castle. When I encountered the two of them, Mai was gravely injured and barely breathing, and Elise had just been assassinated by Mai.
After saving them both with “Healing Magic” and “Resurrection Magic” inherited from my past life, I bound them to me as my personal slaves by stamping a “Curse Seal.” Therefore, they ended up accompanying me on my journey. However, I thought it would interfere with my slave purchasing business, so I decided to return home temporarily and leave them there.
Incidentally, Mai and Elise, who became my slaves, were overwhelmed by the abnormal situation of falling into slavery upon waking up. However, they got along surprisingly well because they had companions in the same predicament. Mai, who had regressed to infancy upon waking, seemed to have calmed down after a few days and was able to communicate, but due to her upbringing as an assassin, she lacked common sense.
And since she recognized me for the first time when she woke up, she seemed to have imprinted on me as if I were a guardian of some sort and began to dote on me. Her interpersonal skills are immature, and I feel like I’m babysitting a young child. She is also poor at conversation for similar reasons and tends to respond with short words.
Upon checking, it seems she can use martial arts, such as “Assassination Arts,” which are deeply ingrained in her, without any problems. I have also added training for “Holy Magic” to the daily routine she apparently used to practice.
On the other hand, I had given up on Elise regarding her lack of common sense from the beginning, as she was a princess of the Kingdom of Portland, even if it was a small country. However, she had a good level of common sense, as the barrier between royalty and the populace was low. Therefore, I continued the journey with Elise while having Mai teach her common sense and other things.
Elise’s skill as a magic user was “Intermediate Upper,” which was higher than I expected, and this was also a pleasant surprise.
It is said that the Portland Royal Family had produced several great mages in the past, so Elise, who had a predisposition for magic, had a famous mage as her tutor.
“Listen to me for a moment, both of you.”
I called out to Elise and Mai to get their attention.
“I’m going to return to the Raymond Trading Company for a while. And I plan to persuade my mother to let you stay at my home.”
I explained my future plans to them.
“Mm.”
Mai agreed with a single word.
“Understood.”
Elise respectfully agreed as my slave.
Regarding Elise, I had strictly explained (threatened) the reality of her becoming my slave, so she likely believes she has no option to refuse.
“Also, I’ll set the story as follows: you are not slaves, but female friends I became close with on my travels and are on our way to the Imperial Capital Granza to broaden our horizons. I’ve decided to offer you rooms in my mansion as lodging out of goodwill.”
“Understood, Master.”
Elise replied on behalf of both of them as my slave.
Then, as we entered the city of Imperial Capital Granza, we stopped at a second-hand clothing store and purchased outfits for Elise and Mai.
“Are these your young master’s slaves? They’re top-quality, you rarely see such fine ones. I hope you’ll continue to favor us.”
The old man at the second-hand clothing store incited me as he looked at Elise and Mai in their “Slave Garments.”
After that, we visited a shoe store and a general store, and somehow managed to fix up their appearances. It was a painful expense for me, but since I started it myself, I couldn’t complain.
The next day, upon returning home, I asked my mother, Shakura, if Elise and Mai, whom I had befriended on my travels, could stay at our mansion for the time being.
“Mom, I’m back. Actually, I became close with girls named Elise and Mai, who are behind me, on my travels. When I heard their story, they were on their way to the Imperial Capital Granza to broaden their horizons. I was thinking of letting them stay at our place as lodging, is that okay?”
“It is an honor to meet you. My name is Elise. I apologize for intruding so suddenly.”
Elise immediately bowed her head.
“Mai… is my name. …Nice to meet you.”
Mai then hurriedly bowed her head and greeted me haltingly.
“Oh my, Hal, the first friends you’ve brought home are girls! And two of them!!”
My mother was surprised but readily led them into the guest room. This should keep them safe for a while.
My mother, Shakura, was delighted that I had brought friends home for the first time.
“Welcome back, Onii-chan.”
My younger sister, Miuuki, who appeared from behind my mother, also greeted me.
After that, I briefly visited the Raymond Trading Company, inquired about the re-appraisal results of the three slaves I had assessed from Gasper, and then met with my father and made a request.
“Dad, actually, I made some friends on my slave purchasing journey, and I was thinking of pretending to be an adventurer with them as a way to gain some social experience. What do you think?”
“What about your apprenticeship in the family business of slave trading?”
My father asked with a perplexed expression.
“Of course, I’ll continue it, but for the time being, I want to juggle two things.”
I explained with a serious expression.
“I see… Understood. Do as you please for the time being. Just be careful not to get hurt.”
My father sighed and allowed my whim.
“Thank you, Dad.”
I thanked my father, and one of my concerns was resolved.
2. Night Duty?!
After that, I finished up some remaining tasks at the Raymond Trading Company until evening and walked back to the mansion as if for a stroll. It was already night. Instead of returning to my room, I headed to the guest room where Elise and Mai were staying and knocked on the door.
“Please… Come in.”
From inside the guest room, Elise’s slightly tense voice could be heard.
As they opened the door and saw that it was me, Elise sat on the floor and greeted me with a three-fingered bow. The nightgown she was wearing was an extremely alluring negligee that was half see-through, and she wasn’t wearing any underwear.
“Master, I expected you to arrive around this time. As I have no experience, I may be lacking in some areas, but I will do my best to serve you. Please be kind to me for a long time.”
Elise’s cheeks were flushed red, and she seemed to think I had come for night duty.
Meanwhile, when I looked for Mai, who had been quiet, she was sound asleep on the bed, wearing a similarly revealing nightgown. She had probably fallen asleep waiting for me.
Even so, seeing Mai’s completely relaxed sleeping face, she looked nothing like an assassin.
“I didn’t come to this room for night duty, but to discuss future matters…”
I trailed off with a strange feeling, a mix of pleasure and embarrassment.
“I am truly sorry… Mastereee.”
Elise realized she had gotten ahead of herself and shrank down, her face turning even redder. Originally, I thought Elise’s personality would be stronger, given her naturally sharp, slanted eyes, but except for the time immediately after she was resurrected, she was as obedient as a slave.
For now, I had Elise put on a jacket, and I covered Mai with a comforter.
“What were you going to discuss about the future?”
Elise asked after she had recovered somewhat.
“First, let’s reintroduce ourselves and confirm what we can do? Since I started this, I’ll speak first. It’s probably fine regarding Mai for now… My name is Hal Raymond, I’m 14 years old and will be 15 in a few months, reaching adulthood. My family runs a major slave trading company in the Espana Imperial Kingdom. And I’m on a journey for “Patrol Slave Purchase” to learn the family business, and that’s how I picked up Elise and Mai. Also, although it’s a secret from my family and those around me, I can use ‘support magic’ such as ‘Healing Magic,’ ‘Resurrection Magic,’ bestowing divine ‘blessings,’ and ‘slave contract-related magic’.”
I reintroduced myself, but I didn’t mention that I had memories from a past life.
“Then, it’s Elise’s turn.”
Saying that, Elise seemed to be contemplating something in response to my self-introduction.
“Master, you can do the same things as a high-ranking priest?”
Elise muttered something.
“My name is Elise Lisha Umb Portland. I am 16 years old, so I am older than Master. I am the third princess of the now-defunct Portland Royal Family and technically held the right of succession to the throne. The ‘Umb’ in my name was a title given to princesses who held the right of succession.”
“In other words… if Princess Elise were to become the figurehead and reclaim the throne, the legitimate Portland Royal Family could be restored. I see, that’s why assassins were dispatched.”
“That is correct, but I am now nothing more than Master’s slave. However, if Master is interested in the royal authority, I will spare no effort to cooperate.”
“No, I’m not interested in being a king,” I said.
“Is that so?”
“Then, would you continue to tell me about your special skills?”
“Yes, my special skills are mainly offensive magic. Of course, I am also proficient in all the essential etiquette, horsemanship, ballroom dancing, and embroidery required of a princess.”
“What kind of magic can you use?”
“Yes. I have learned up to intermediate level in the basic ‘four elemental magic’ of fire, water, earth, and wind. I can also use ‘Item Box,’ which is a beginner level of ‘Space Magic’.”
“This is wonderful. I’m especially glad you can use ‘offensive magic’ and ‘Space Magic’ with the Item Box, which I cannot use.”
I was happy to be reminded that Elise was such an excellent mage.
“By the way, what’s inside your Item Box?”
“Unfortunately, it is currently empty.”
“When we escaped from the royal castle, it was a situation where we had to grab what we could, so the Item Box contained everyday items. However, I believe the link was severed when I died, or they were released into normal space.”
“Come to think of it, when I found the bodies of Elise and the two maids in the carriage, the inside of the carriage was scattered with bodies and various unidentifiable items.”
I remembered the situation inside the carriage when I found Elise.
“Thank you, Elise. Shall we discuss what to do next?”
“What do you mean by ‘next’?”
“Well, first, let me explain your current situation. While I have bound you with my ‘Curse Seal,’ we haven’t officially completed the paperwork with the authorities.”
“Yes… that is correct.”
“In other words, the current ‘Slave Contract’ is not official, making it illegal. However, neither you nor Mai are officially recognized individuals, are you? Ultimately, your options are limited.”
I began to explain the current situation of Elise and Mai.
“After much thought, I think the only option is to become adventurers, where your past doesn’t matter… Do you have any opinions?”
“Indeed… By the way, Master, are you telling me to work as an adventurer?”
“Yes. We can manage for a while as things are, but it would feel like an imposition to stay here indefinitely. Furthermore, considering the future, we will need money.”
Elise seemed to be contemplating something as she listened to my explanation.
“Also, I plan to sell the accessories, like the tiara, that I recovered when I revived you. Is that okay?”
“Slaves cannot own personal property, so those are already yours. However, would you mind telling me what you intend to use them for?”
“I plan to use the proceeds from the sale as ‘seed money’ to purchase a residence that will serve as a base for you and Mai to live in.”
“The tiaras were adorned with expensive jewels, but will that be enough to purchase a residence of a certain scale?”
“The shortfall will be covered by future earnings and by expanding funds through futures trading.”
“I do not recommend amateurs interfering with the market.”
Elise looked worried as I watched her.
“It’s difficult to explain to you, Elise, but I have something in mind.”
I concluded with a confident expression.
Of course, I have memories of my past life, and according to those memories, the invasion of the Southern Nations by the Demonkin is set to erupt in a few days, and items unique to the Southern Nations, such as spices, are expected to skyrocket due to economic turmoil.
“Please leave this matter to me. Also, could you call me by my name?”
“Why is that?”
“As I explained earlier, I want to present you and Mai as my adventurer companions to the outside world. So, you can speak more casually.”
“Understood. Hal…sama.”
And so, my appellation was settled as ‘Hal-sama’.
From the outside, it would look like the young master of a slave trader is playing ‘adventurer’ with his entourage of young ladies. It’s hard not to stand out when you’re accompanied by such beautiful slave girls…
***
3. Princess Harem
The next day, taking Mai and Elise, I headed to an antique dealer to sell Elise’s personal accessories. Incidentally, Mai is taciturn, so I judged that she wouldn’t cause any particular problems. Furthermore, I had gone to great lengths to disguise her with plain clothing and makeup.
“Excuse me, old man, we’re here for a visit.”
Saying that, we stepped through the door of the antique shop located at the end of the shopping street. I had heard from Gaspar before that this shop would buy items with questionable histories.
“Welcome, young master Raymond.”
The old man at the antique shop greeted me, as if he knew me.
“What can I do for you?”
The old man at the antique shop asked.
“I’d like you to buy these. These accessories belonged to the young lady behind me, but she’s in sudden need of funds, so I’m consulting with you.”
As I said that, the old man at the antique shop looked at Elise with a scrutinizing gaze.
“Understood. I will proceed with the appraisal.”
The old man at the antique shop took the accessories that had belonged to Elise.
To appraise the craftsmanship and the gems attached to the accessories, the old man at the antique shop took out a loupe and observed them carefully, and also checked the material of the settings with a touchstone.
“…These are quite fine. Some of them are as good as belonging to royalty.”
As expected of a professional, the old man at the antique shop offered a sharp opinion.
“How about 250 gold coins for the set?”
However, the old man at the antique shop offered a buyout price that clearly undervalued us.
“Old man, take a closer look. These gems are of excellent quality, and the tiara is made of platinum? It should be worth at least 500 gold coins.”
I began to negotiate for a price increase with the old man at the antique shop.
“As expected of the young master of Raymond Trading Company…”
The old man at the antique shop paused, sighed, and continued.
“Then, how about 350 gold coins, if I’m being generous?”
“A little more!”
“…Understood. I would like to continue doing good business with you in the future, so I will offer 400 gold coins at a loss.”
“Thank you. Please do that.”
Thus, the deal was struck, and I left the antique shop with two gold plates equivalent to 400 gold coins, 10 platinum coins, and 100 gold coins.
“Hal-sama, you’re quite capable.”
Elise, who followed behind me, was impressed.
Next, we headed to a weapon shop, armor shop, and general store to get our adventurer equipment. There, I bought Elise a hooded robe for a mage, a magic staff made of mistletoe, and a mage’s dress reinforced with tough monster leather. For Mai, I bought a short sword, an outfit for a support class resembling a female priest’s garb, a hooded cloak, and a simple holy staff. For myself, I purchased a staff with intricate carvings like those used by sages. The total purchase price was 85 gold coins, which was expensive but necessary. We also bought general goods such as preserved food, which were stored in Elise’s Item Box.
However, all three of us are currently rear-guard classes, and securing personnel to handle the front lines will be a future challenge. Mai alone can act as a scout, but she cannot be a tank.
With our adventurer equipment ready, we headed to the Adventurer Guild. By the way, our total funds, including my allowance, were two gold plates, ten platinum coins, sixty-five gold coins, twelve silver coins, and thirty-eight copper coins.
The Adventurer Guild was located deep within the commercial district, and in this area, semi-public facilities such as the Commercial Guild and the Slave Merchant Guild were concentrated.
The Adventurer Guild building was a relatively large, three-story structure. Around it, burly men who appeared to be adventurers and mages, and women in alluring attire, were loitering, exuding a unique atmosphere. Upon closer inspection, beastkin and elves, who appeared to be demi-humans other than members of the Human Race, were also mixed in.
Of course, some of them were accompanied by ‘combat slaves,’ which was a sight familiar to us slave traders.
We entered the Adventurer Guild, dressed inconspicuously. I was inwardly terrified of being accosted at the entrance, but upon looking closer, I saw many new adventurers of our age, so we didn’t stand out as much as I had feared.
However, while it might be fine for me, if Elise and Mai’s beauty were revealed, it would likely cause a huge commotion…
Inside the Adventurer Guild, there were adventurers with typical appearances, but in front, there were counters reminiscent of a government office, and receptionists were attending to the adventurers.
As expected, most of the receptionists were beautiful female staff, and some middle-aged male staff were also attending to customers.
To the side, also as expected, was a bulletin board with quest postings, neatly arranged according to adventurer levels, and adventurers were eagerly reviewing the quest details.
We headed to the counter labeled “New Adventurer Application Window.” At the counter sat a earnest-looking receptionist with her brown hair tied up.
“Welcome to the Adventurer Guild. Are you here to apply for adventurer registration?”
The receptionist at the counter asked a standard question.
“Yes. The three of us will be registering, so please give us the application form.”
As I stepped forward to speak on behalf of the group, the receptionist handed me the application form with practiced efficiency.
I filled out my section accordingly. However, for Elise and Mai, I only filled in their first names and inconsistently wrote my home address in the address field. Nevertheless, it was accepted without any issues, processed administratively.
“I believe I have filled out the necessary information, but is this okay?”
I asked the receptionist out of caution.
“…Yes, it is fine. However, if you are forming a party of three, please decide on a party name.”
The receptionist read through the application form and asked for a party name.
“A party name, huh…”
I was stumped by this unexpected problem.
“Elise, Mai. Do you have any good ideas?”
I couldn’t immediately think of a good name, so I asked the two of them.
“Since Hal is the leader, you should decide, Hal,” Elise retorted dismissively.
This is troublesome…
“Hmm. …Then how about ‘Princess Harem’?”
I hesitantly suggested the party name ‘Princess Harem’.
‘Princess Harem’ was named because Elise, a former princess, was in this party. For a moment, thoughts of Elise’s pursuers crossed my mind, but adventurer party names are often boastful, like exaggerated advertisements, and it would likely be taken as me, the young master of a major slave trader, indulging in ‘playing adventurer’ by comparing the girls around me to princesses…
“…Well… I guess it’s fine…”
After a sigh, Elise nodded with a wry smile.
“Then I’ll register it as ‘Princess Harem’.”
I reported to the receptionist that I had decided on the party name ‘Princess Harem’.
“Understood. But if you choose too grand a name, you might not live up to it…”
The receptionist, who had been listening to our conversation, accepted it with a look of exasperation.
And so, we were told that we needed to decide on a party name to form an adventurer party, and we settled on ‘Princess Harem’ for the moment, with both Elise and the receptionist wearing wry smiles throughout.
Then, to issue ‘Adventurer Cards,’ which serve as adventurer identification, a drop of blood was collected and rubbed onto the designated spot on the back of the card. The Adventurer Guild’s affiliated mage then cast a ‘Contract Magic’ to complete the ‘Adventurer Card’ and the series of application procedures.
With this, we were registered as ‘G-class Adventurers,’ the lowest level for adventurers.
Furthermore, since I had made my own unique arrangements for Mai and Elise’s ‘Slave Contracts,’ the ‘Adventurer Card’ did not reflect any slave-related matters. Instead, their job descriptions were simply listed as ‘Thief’ and ‘Mage,’ which was a relief. Normally, it would have been written as “Property of Hal Raymond, Level 2 Slave.”
Next, we headed to the bulletin board for ‘G-class Adventurers.’ The available quests were all beginner-friendly, such as gathering medicinal herbs in the vicinity and babysitting.
From the list, I decided to take on a herb-gathering job with a relatively high reward. The medicinal herb was a somewhat rare one, but with my memories from my past life, I had an idea of where it might grow.
Our business at the ‘Adventurer Guild’ successfully concluded, we left the guild and headed out of the city. At the city gate checkpoint, we paid a toll of 10 copper coins per person and were now searching for medicinal herbs in the woods beside a small stream, a little off the main road.
The target, ‘Hapanato Herb,’ is one of the ingredients for ‘Heal Potions’ and grows near flowing clear streams.
We found the ‘Hapanato Herb’ without any problems and had Mai keep watch around us as we gathered it.
In the end, the ‘Hapanato Herb’ we collected that day amounted to 50 silver coins. For new adventurers, it was a decent earning, but it only made a negligible difference towards the ‘seed money’ for purchasing a base.
The next day, we went to the ‘Merchant Guild’ and used most of our funds, two gold plates and 10 platinum coins, to purchase ‘White Pepper,’ a spice from the Southern Nations, through futures trading with 10x leverage.
This meant we had bought ‘White Pepper’ equivalent to 3,000 gold coins (approximately 300 million yen). If the price rose above our purchase price, we could expect enormous profits, but if it fell, we would have to pay the shortfall as a margin call, leading to our bankruptcy. It was a huge gamble.
Mai seemed not to understand, but Elise was very worried.
For the next three days, we took on simple gathering quests to earn daily wages, which we used for eating out and purchasing supplies. Then, as my past life memories predicted, a large-scale invasion by demonkin erupted in the Southern Nations, causing the price of the ‘White Pepper’ we had bought to skyrocket. To secure our profits, we sold our sales contract to the ‘Merchant Guild.’
In the end, we made an enormous profit exceeding 150,000 gold coins (approximately 1.5 billion yen) in our first futures trade.
Although it was a trick I had played before, I was still nervous and felt somewhat drained, and Elise also fell slightly ill from the stress.
With our ample funds, we visited a real estate agent and purchased a large mansion with extensive grounds in the suburbs for 50 gold plates (approximately 500 million yen). This mansion was originally built as a villa for a certain Count, but after his death, it had been put up for sale due to the hassle of maintenance.
The building was two stories high. The first floor had a hall that could host small parties or tea parties, a kitchen, a dining hall, servant quarters, and a storage room. Upon closer inspection, there was also a wine cellar and a food storage room in the basement. The second floor contained the master’s bedroom and study, private quarters, and over 10 guest rooms.
The garden was also vast, with trees planted around the building creating a structure where the goings-on within the grounds were hidden from outside view. Although somewhat overgrown, there were also remnants of flowerbeds and a greenhouse.
I decided to use the private quarters, including the Count’s bedroom and study, while Elise and Mai would each use one of the guest rooms.
The day after the purchase procedures were smoothly completed, we bought furniture and other items, and the construction of our base, as initially planned, was finished.
Once the interior of the mansion was set up, Elise and Mai moved from my house to the newly established base. Thus, our adventurer life began with a smooth start.
Incidentally, on the night before Elise and Mai moved out, we shared a luxurious dinner, and my mother Shakura and sister Miuuki celebrated their departure. It seemed they had become quite close in the meantime.
The remaining profit from the futures trade was designated as the ‘Princess Harem’s’ fund, becoming the shared asset of the party members. I then instructed Elise to manage the finances, including receipts and disbursements.
In this major gamble, I utilized my previously sealed cheat-like memories from my past life. While the profit was enormous for me personally, I hoped it wouldn’t significantly impact Lester the Cleric or the Hero Party from my past life, but some observation would be necessary for a while.
“I’ll just have to rely on time’s restorative abilities from now on.”
I muttered unconsciously.
4. Jumilande ①
After that, as I had declared to my father, my days continued to be filled with diligently handling my apprenticeship as a slave trader and ‘playing adventurer.’
Today, the usual trio of me, Elise, and Mai were heading to a forest area on the outskirts to gather medicinal herbs. This collection spot was a bit far from our base mansion, so we were traveling in a covered carriage with two horses, borrowed from the Raymond Trading Company.
We had departed early in the morning, and it was now a little before noon. We felt a slight hunger but thought it would be just a little longer until our planned rest stop when the two horses pulling the carriage reared up and stopped.
In the middle of the road lay a person, like bulky trash. We couldn’t just run them over with the carriage, so I got off and approached to move them to the roadside. It was a girl, generally grimy. Her clothes were tattered, and at first glance, she looked like a pile of garbage, emitting a terrible odor.
“What is it?”
Mai, sensitive to presence, was the first to poke her head out from under the cover.
“Hal, what’s wrong?”
Then, Elise also peeked out from under the cover. The sight of two beautiful girls appearing was quite charming… I was momentarily captivated.
“A girl has collapsed.”
I explained the situation and moved the carriage closer to check if she was alive.
“…I’m hungry…”
Thinking she might already be dead, I moved closer, and the collapsed-looking girl murmured in a faint voice.
I could have just grabbed her and tossed her to the roadside, but my charitable impulse, rooted in my past life’s faith, stirred, and before I knew it, I was sharing our lunch with her. The girl devoured the bread and watered-down ale with incredible speed.
Elise and Mai watched this with complicated expressions.
“Thank you for saving me. I couldn’t move because I was so hungry.”
The girl, seemingly full, greeted me in a slightly accented voice.
“Why were you collapsed in the middle of the road?”
I asked the girl why she had collapsed.
“My name is Jumilande. It’s an unusual name, isn’t it? It’s hard to explain, but due to unavoidable circumstances, I ran away from home… A week ago, while traveling, I met a self-proclaimed merchant who was kind to me, and he took all my money. Looking back now, he had ulterior motives.”
Jumilande gave a wry smile.
“And since then, I’ve been living on water and scraps from begging, but this was my limit.”
Jumilande then explained what had happened.
“So, what will you do now?”
I asked.
“…I’ll become a slave.”
Jumilande noticed that the carriage we were riding in belonged to the ‘Slave Trader’ Raymond Trading Company and sought our help.
“Shouldn’t we take her to the Raymond Trading Company, thinking of it as helping someone?”
I was struggling with how to respond, as I was no longer an apprentice slave trader but an adventurer. Elise suggested.
“But her dirty body will need a bath in the nearby stream, and she’ll need a change of clothes too.”
Elise also offered to help.
“Alright, I’ll leave it to you then,” I said.
As soon as I finished speaking, Elise and Mai, with remarkable coordination, took Jumilande by the sides and led her towards the stream.
After waiting for a while, Elise and Mai returned to the carriage, accompanied by Jumilande, who had been cleaned and changed into Elise’s spare clothes.
Jumilande, with her dirt washed off and changed into a chic, grass-green one-piece dress, had transformed from trash into a beautiful girl, leaving me stunned.
Jumilande was just under 160 centimeters tall, and her build was rather slender. Her hair, after being washed and carefully combed, was a rare, vibrant green, which suited her new dress perfectly.
Her face, with its slightly drooping purple eyes and a beauty mark under her left eye, gave off a soft aura despite its striking coloring. Her thin lips, without any makeup, were a surprisingly intense red, creating a mysterious impression of mixed allure and purity.
Her chest was also bountiful, unexpectedly so for her height, and this was actually what allowed me to discern that the “trash” was a girl…
“Jumilande, you still intend to become a slave, correct?”
Thinking that this girl was a find, I feigned indifference as I made the final confirmation.
“Yup, I do!”
Jumilande, who replied, showed no signs of changing her mind.
Perhaps the hunger of the past few days had taken its toll.
“Then, I’ll have to assess you. We’re on a road, so let’s move to a quiet, secluded spot.”
I had Jumilande, Elise, and Mai get into the carriage, and we set off to find a suitable location.
After venturing off the road and searching for a short while, we found a perfectly suitable clearing.
“To assess you, I’ll need you to be completely naked. I apologize for making you change again so soon, but could you undress?”
I had Jumilande get out of the covered carriage and prompted her to undress in a businesslike manner.
5. Jumilande ② △
“Master, you’re a real man, nya~”
Saying this, Jumilande blushed as she removed the belt that cinched her waist in the dress Elise had lent her, and unbuttoned it, one by one.
It seemed they hadn’t been able to prepare underwear, as her cleavage and part of her breasts were visible, creating a very lewd appearance.
“Is this okay? Is there… anything wrong…?”
Jumilande, having shed her dress, was bright red with shame, but her body was beautiful and spotless.
Her slightly upturned breasts were well-developed, but her lower body seemed a bit young, and she hadn’t even grown panty hair yet…
“Come to think of it, how old are you?”
I asked Jumilande to confirm her age.
“I’ll
The cute girl of the Demonkin, whose hidden room was exposed, was turned into an ice object by ‘Ice Magic’ while still begging for her life. The young boy of the Demonkin who had burst out was engulfed in flames by ‘Flame Magic’ and carbonized in an instant. In another place, an old man of the Demonkin was sliced from his skull to his chest and met his end, while next to him, a young maiden of the Demonkin was cut in half at the torso, letting out a death cry.
In the end, the Demon King’s daughter was not found, and the Demon King’s castle had become a ruin with no living beings left except for the Hero Party.
It was truly a hellish spectacle of wailing and lamentation that had appeared in this world. Years later, Cardinal Lester would deeply regret, “Did we really need to eliminate even defenseless women and children, despite them being Demonkin?”
6. Swan Hilda
I couldn’t believe the Demon King’s daughter, whom I never met in my previous life, was standing before me. However, she was someone I couldn’t possibly let go. I recalled that she was already a notorious criminal with a bounty of 1,000 platinum coins.
“You are the Demon King’s daughter, aren’t you?” I confirmed with a thrill running through me.
“Please, spare my life!” To my surprise, the naked Princess Jumilande trembled and begged for her life. I, who expected her to attack with magic the moment her identity was revealed, was taken aback. Nevertheless, I restrained her with ‘Binding Magic’. It was a remarkably anticlimactic capture, and Elise and Mai, who had maintained their attack postures, had nothing to do.
“Why didn’t you fight back?” I asked, facing the bound Princess Jumilande.
“Demonkin, as they ascend in rank, their forms become more monstrous. However, beyond a certain point, Demonkin belonging to nobility tend to become more human-like the stronger their magic becomes. And the Demon King and his closest aides were said to possess beauty comparable to humans. As for the power of Demonkin, their solidified horns were symbols of authority, and this trait was inherited by bloodline, wasn’t it?” I presented the information I had gained in my previous life.
“Normally, that is correct…” Princess Jumilande nodded, looking down.
“But in my case, I have impressive horns, yet I can’t use offensive magic.” Princess Jumilande answered, albeit reluctantly.
“Actually, recently, a Hero appeared in the Western nations, didn’t they?” Princess Jumilande abruptly brought up the Hero Party from my previous life.
“What about it?” I pressed Princess Jumilande.
“I keep having dreams of being defeated by the Hero.” Princess Jumilande began to spill her story.
“In my dreams, the Hero who defeated my father came straight for me. After my abdomen was ripped open and I was killed, I would wake up just as the blade approached to raise my head as a trophy.” Tears had welled up in Princess Jumilande’s eyes. “I couldn’t bear to be in such a terrifying place, so I fled alone.”
Thus, the reason for Princess Jumilande’s elopement became clear. However, her demeanor suggested there might be other reasons as well. Considering my memories from my past life, her dreams were likely true prophecies or premonitions.
Initially, when her identity was revealed, I intended to turn her over to the authorities. But after hearing her story, I felt pity for her…
I consulted Elise and Mai about Jumilande’s fate. After hearing her story, they became sympathetic and even pleaded with me to find a way to save her.
“Why can’t you, a top-ranking Demonkin with magnificent horns, use almost no magic? Come to think of it, nothing is known about the Demon King’s consort, is it?” I asked Jumilande about the points of doubt.
“My mother was discovered by my father. No one knows her origins, but they say she was incredibly beautiful. However, she was always in poor health, and after giving birth to me, she died from complications after childbirth,” she explained. Tears streamed down Jumilande’s cheeks. “From birth, I already had impressive horns, so I was expected to be a great successor. But I couldn’t use magic at all, so I was treated like a doll to pass on the Demon King’s blood to the next generation.”
Hesitantly, I approached Jumilande and placed my hand on her head to analyze the flow of her magic. It seemed that Jumilande’s magic was in a state of calm like a placid sea. However, when I looked deeper, I found that her evil magic, peculiar to Demonkin, was in a state of equilibrium with holy magic.
“Jumilande, your magic is in a state where holy and evil magic are in equilibrium within your body. If you can cancel one of them, you should be able to establish your own position. If you choose the evil magic, I will kill you here and now. If you choose the holy magic, I will take you as my slave.” I presented Jumilande with a fateful choice.
“Can you do that?” Jumilande looked surprised.
“There are two people here with holy magic. Most things are possible.” I nodded affirmatively.
“In that case, I want to be your slave, Master.” Saying this, Jumilande bowed her head.
“Mai, come here.” I had Mai stand opposite me, with Jumilande between us, and together we poured holy magic into Jumilande to extinguish the evil magic within her. After a while, Jumilande began to writhe in pain and was enveloped in ‘Holy Light.’ Within the ‘Holy Light,’ Jumilande’s horns vanished as if dissolving into space. Her hair, from its curly green strands, turned into flowing blonde hair, and the irises of her eyes changed from the purple eyes peculiar to Demonkin to blue eyes like a clear blue sky, transforming as if a caterpillar were metamorphosing into a butterfly. Her body, once naked, was now clad in holy light armor. Jumilande now bore the appearance of a legendary Valkyrie, a messenger of God. Moreover, a holy aura emanated from her body. Inferring from this dramatic transformation, the consort of unknown origin was likely a Valkyrie. It was probable that Demon King Gandaro, instead of finishing off the defeated Valkyrie, took her back as spoils of war and made her his wife. Now, Jumilande the Demon King’s daughter was gone, and here stood a newly descended Valkyrie.
“Wear this and say, ‘Manifest.'” To verify my prediction, I released the restraint I had placed on Jumilande and gave her a new instruction.
“Manifest.” Jumilande tilted her head, but mimicking my posture, she uttered the key phrase. Instantly, light condensed in her right hand, and a sword appeared. At that moment, it was confirmed that she was a Valkyrie.
“May I borrow your sword for a moment?” I humbly received the sword with a reverent attitude and, upon checking the inscription, saw that it was engraved with ‘Divine Script’ as ‘Swan Hilda.’ This was Jumilande’s ‘Divine Name’ as a member of the God Clan.
“Lady Swan Hilda, I am deeply honored to witness the advent of a new Valkyrie.” I returned the sword with reverence, knelt, and paid my respects as a subject. This was the proper response of a priest towards a deity, but the other three were bewildered by my sudden change.
“Um… what will happen to me? Will I become a slave?” Unable to keep up with the sudden turn of events, Lady Swan Hilda appeared confused.
At that moment, three Valkyries descended from the void.
“Drawn by a familiar presence, we find you are kin to our lost ‘Hilda’.”
“I shall bless my youngest sister.”
“Won’t you return to the Garden of the Gods with us?” The three Valkyries, in turn, blessed Swan Hilda and invited her to return to the divine realm.
“I cannot go to the divine realm,” said Swan Hilda.
“Why?” As Lady Swan Hilda replied, the elder Valkyrie inquired.
“I have sworn to be the slave of the Master who is here.”
“What?!” Upon hearing Lady Swan Hilda’s reason, I was glared at by the Valkyries.
“Master is the one who saved my life. Besides, don’t the God Clan value contracts?”
“Understood. A human’s life is but a blink of an eye to us. When you are released from your contract, we shall come for you immediately.” The elder Valkyrie seemed to accept the situation after Swan Hilda’s plea.
“Mortal, no matter how binding the contract, if you mistreat our youngest sister, who ranks among the lowest of the gods, you will immediately incur divine punishment. Never forget this!!” The three Valkyries returned, leaving behind a warning yoke for us. In the end, the contract between Lady Swan Hilda and me was not a slave contract but was formed through ‘words imbued with divine authority.’
Ultimately, it was settled that Swan Hilda would become a member of the Adventurer Party I organized, ‘Princess Harem.’ Moreover, it was the moment the reason for not being able to defeat the Demon King’s daughter in my previous life became clear. Even so, an Adventurer Party with a Valkyrie from the God Clan as a vanguard would be overwhelmingly overpowered. And I had a vision of the invisible scales of the gods tipping towards the Human Alliance.
Settlement Currency
1 Platinum Plate: 100 million yen
1 Gold Plate: 10 million yen
1 Platinum Coin: 1 million yen
1 Silver Plate: 1 million yen
Normal Circulation Currency
1 Gold Coin: 100,000 yen
1 Silver Coin: 10,000 yen
1 Copper Plate: 1,000 yen
1 Iron Plate: 100 yen
1 Copper Coin: 10 yen
1 Iron Coin: 1 yen
