episode_0037

Misty Forest, Day 91.

Thud~

I walked through the misty forest.

“Master! If you’re tired, please let me know anytime. I’ll carry you on my back if I have to!!”

Cecilia came up beside me.

After the torture, the guy stuck to me with a happy expression all day long.

Kardepion….

He’s quite an impressive guy.

He must have lived thinking this was natural.

“Don’t get too close. I’m not the same Kardepion as before.”

“Oops! I’ll remember that!!”

It’s burdensome.

That happy expression.

Even though he used to be so scared and disgusted, now he’s making that kind of face.

To the point where I can feel guilty.

And it’s even sincere.

He’s deceived himself into being sincere.

It seemed more familiar than I thought.

I couldn’t imagine how he had been tamed to become like this.

So, I asked Cecilia about the past.

It was a pitiful story.

Cecilia was originally ordinary, but she was humiliated by Kardepion, and in the end, she became a faithful slave like she is now.

She even expressed blind love in the process of telling the story, proudly talking about the shame and humiliation she endured.

The stages of slavery.

Resignation.

Submission.

Acceptance.

Adaptation.

Obedience.

Brainwashing.

Devotion.

They go through these stages.

In other words, the slaves who followed Kardepion were all dolls who went through such a training process.

Ridiculous slave education.

If the Nereian elves had been captured back then, they might have changed like Cecilia.

I also asked Cecilia about the city.

The city.

3% nobles or hunters.

It’s a place where 97% of the slaves live.

I, as the ruler of only 0.1% of that place, have to infiltrate.

“Cecilia. You understand your role, right?”

“Yes! I will assist you so that you don’t look strange in the city, Master!”

“That’s all. Now we’re going to run. Pick up one elf behind us and follow.”

“Understood!!”

Thud.

Behind us, two female elf clones to be infiltrated as slaves were following. Their bodies were very weak, not reinforced and barely nourished.

Just ordinary elves.

That’s why.

Thud!!

Cecilia and I ran through the misty forest with an elf each on our backs. Since I had decoded the mountain air, the guy followed at a suitable speed.

“I’ll be in another body, so make your way to the city on your own. This body will follow you. If you need to call me, say the name Munchan.”

“Yes, Master!”

I ordered the Kardepion clone to continue to the city with Cecilia. I can easily control it with my will, and Cecilia will take care of the minor details.

Therefore, I returned to my original elf body for rest.

Then.

“Ah~”

On the bed.

I saw Shaela stroking me.

*

“What are you doing?”

“I’m stroking you.”

“……”

“Ah~”

On the bed.

Instead of a regular pillow, Shaela’s lap was supporting me.

At the same time, a warm hand stroking my forehead.

The smile of the girl wearing an eye mask looking down at me.

Soft.

Warm.

Melting….

It’s a very uncomfortable sight.

Should I shake her off?

Should I get rid of her?

Should I just get up nonchalantly and scold her for doing something unnecessary?

“How is it? The touch of the goddess?”

At that moment, Shaela’s question came.

What could be the intention behind such a question.

Snicker.

Chuckle.

I quickly realized.

She’s teasing me on purpose.

In that case.

Swoosh.

I grew a main stem from the ceiling.

“Huh?….”

Shaela, who sensed something strange, turned around.

Thud!~

A stem in the shape of a palm was placed on top of Shaela’s head.

I responded to him.

“Right.”

“……?”

“Right, right. Our goddess is cute. So cute.”

Swish~

“….Hey?”

“Why, what, how come this time.”

Shhh~!

I tousled his hair with the palm-shaped stem.

Then he let out a light sigh.

Hup!!

“Huh?”

Suddenly, he pulled my head to his side.

“Our, our. Mischievous little one. Why are you crawling up like this?”

Squish!….

Shoo~

For whatever he said, I didn’t care. I tousled his hair with the palm-shaped stem.

As a result, he let out a light sigh.

Hup!!

“Ugh?”

He forcibly pressed my face against his side and patted my back.

A creepy feeling swept through my body.

Of course, I couldn’t just stand there and take it.

Because the house itself was my body.

Swoosh!!

Thud!~

I made another palm-shaped stem and this time grabbed his cheeks, creating a stem mouth to provoke him.

“Why is this little thing so stubborn? Huh? Trying to act like an adult with a cute face?”

Crackle!….

“T-this is!”

Was his embarrassment at its peak?

Although I couldn’t see due to the blindfold, his face was visibly reddened.

Now, how will he react this time?

“……Fine, I’ll let it go.”

“…?”

Swish~

He released me and removed his hand.

I thought he would retaliate out of pride, but he backed down more meekly than I expected.

And then.

“Open the door. I’m going for a walk.”

He got up from the bed and headed towards the stem wall.

“…Again?”

Knock knock.

He knocked on the stem wall, urging me.

However, it was visible from the stem’s perspective.

A slightly blushing cheek.

A slightly parted lips.

Was it very embarrassing?

Somehow, I felt like I shouldn’t provoke him further, so I removed the stem and opened the door for him.

He disappeared into it.

And then I realized.

“That guy… is it natural for him to talk now?”

I was curious.

How much of his original self had he recovered?

As I thought about it, I became a little uneasy.

If he fully recovers, will I be able to have such a gentle conversation with him then?

Surely…

By then, you’ll be incredibly strong, right?

To the point of exploding my body if I touch you wrongly?

No, maybe it’s the same now.

Gulp.

“I should be a little more careful.”

With that thought or not, Shaela once again fattened the stem today. As usual, she demanded and ate many fruits, and the Shaela in the memory she secretly peeped at through the stem was muttering like this.

“Phew~ I almost killed him by mistake.”

For some reason, a memory of spinning 33600 degrees in the sky came to mind with that one word.

…Let’s try not to provoke him in the future.

*

94th day in the Misty Forest.

[Master Munchan.]

As I was usualy expanding my territory, Cecilia called me.

Whoosh~

In an instant, I was attached to Cardepion’s body.

To the west of the Misty Forest.

I had arrived at the outer boundary point.

Beside me, Cecilia, with her head bowed, and in front of me, the city was visible at a glance.

“We’ve arrived. Nothing happened, right?”

“No! Except for encountering monsters, nothing happened at all.”

“Did you kill the monsters?”

“There was no need for that. The stupid monster babies recognized your greatness and ran away!”

“…I see.”

I briefly examined the memories of the physical body.

Since the main body had grown significantly, I could now glimpse the memories of the avatar when I concentrated.

It was similar to absorbing the separated stems.

I examined each memory.

Indeed, Cecilia’s words were true.

The monsters avoided Cardepion on their own.

It might be due to the powerful aura, but it seemed to be a characteristic of dragons.

If I could use only this characteristic…

Let’s research this later.

First, I looked back.

Two female clones disguised as slaves were waiting in good condition.

The disguised slave spies to infiltrate together.

I commanded them to speak by relying on my will.

“I am Quaisa.”

“I am Sian.”

There was nothing particularly awkward.

Whenever I commanded them to speak what I wanted, they opened their mouths as desired.

In case something happens, I could handle it.

“Let’s go in now.”

“Yes! The slaves in the palace are waiting for your return, master.”

“It will be convenient to use them.”

I led Cecilia and the clones towards the city.

As before, only one guard was freely guarding the city gate.

I had already informed Cecilia about it.

The guard’s name was Yulraf.

He was one of the few gatekeepers of the city.

The role of the gatekeeper is simple.

He controls the entry and exit of all slaves.

Only nobles and rulers, or those who have their permission, can pass through the gate.

Therefore, there was no need for identification.

The gatekeeper remembers all the rulers.

Thud~

I just walked slowly to the city gate, and with a quick gesture towards the guard, he bowed his head and opened the door.

Creak~

It was too easy.

We stepped into the city.

The city itself was ordinary.

Although it looked like medieval buildings on the outside, there were high-rise buildings, streetlights, and well-paved roads. It seemed like a product of magic, not science.

However, the street scene was alien.

It was because of the strange appearance of the city residents.

Was it 97% of them were slaves?

Slaves crawling on all fours.

Slaves dressed in thin gladiator attire with a leash.

Animals or slaves in unusual attire.

Slaves with tattoos and piercings all over their bodies.

Slaves lying on the ground unconscious.

Slaves without arms walking with their eyes covered.

In severe cases, there were even slaves with human upper bodies inserted into doll bodies.

What a bizarre hobby.

Expressions of torment and sadness.

Expressions of resignation or acceptance.

Expressions of despair or unfocused.

Familiar yet indifferent expressions.

Or happy expressions like Cecilia.

Various slaves were wandering the streets, and there were few who looked like nobles.

Everything is done by slaves.

They move for their masters every day.

Some even seem to be trained emotionally.

It’s really a funny place.

I sincerely wonder who created this city.

“Oh, aren’t you Lord Cardaphion?”

As I stood still for a moment, someone approached me.

“I heard that you went to the Misty Forest yourself. Is the elf behind you the loot you brought this time? It’s a lovely item.”

A middle-aged man.

I could feel a reasonable amount of strength from him.

He was on par with the slave hunters I first encountered.

Behind him, a familiar-faced slave with a leash was waiting.

A fair-haired woman.

Clearly, she was a human I knew.

Her name was probably Magnentra.

She had escaped from my village with a lot of confidence, but it seemed like she was caught here.

Her focus was slightly blurry.

She seemed like a stubborn fellow, but there was no sign of any enthusiasm.

At this moment, I realized why the slave hunters had invaded.

They probably leaked all the information about the elf village when they were caught.

Was it wrong from here…?

Tap.

Cecilia secretly tapped my back once.

It was a secret code agreed upon before entering the city.

One tap meant below me.

Two taps meant a little closer acquaintance.

Three taps meant a fellow ruler like me.

The middle-aged man who approached me was once.

Also, his friendly demeanor and gentle treatment towards me gave me the feeling that he was trying to flatter me.

Ignore the guy.

“Since you’re bothering me, just leave.”

“Ah! Yes. If I offended you, I apologize. I’ll take my leave then.”

What is power, exactly?

The man immediately retreated.

His attitude seemed like he didn’t want to look unpleasant.

He disappeared into the distance with Magnent.

It would have been quite awkward if it had been Volpier’s body.

“Cecilia. Lead the way to my palace first.”

“Yes! I will lead the way.”

There is plenty of time to explore the city.

So, I decided to first look around Kardepyon’s residence.

If you stay, you will naturally find out.

How vile this place is.

*

Slave association.

“Did Kardepyon return?”

“Yeah. I just met him on the way here. He went straight to his palace. Oh~ But that elf behind him looks quite tempting. I wonder if he’ll offer her as a commodity.”

The middle-aged nobleman’s information made the pink-haired female member nod slightly as if she were contemplating.

Kardepyon is in the ruling class.

He doesn’t need to report to the association.

So, she has to act on her own.

“I should visit again. I need to know what happened.”

Of course, she didn’t feel like it.

Kardepyon shows greed even towards those who are not slaves.

So, she planned to just listen and return immediately.

After delegating the work to her subordinates, she tidied up her appearance and headed to Kardepyon’s palace with a calm expression, to find out the outcome of the elf incident.