I had to really take a few minutes to gather myself in the basement after my heated exchange with Lili. I thought I’d pass the time by seeing what the other sets of clothes she prepared for me looked like. Of course, they’re made of the same silk as her spider threads, but whatever technique she used to dye them, though they were simple, the colors really popped out to me. The slacks, socks, and underwear she also prepared were very comfortable, too.

To be able to make all of this in one night, I wondered if she even got any sleep after the infiltration ended. What’s more is that after I did a little research on my smartphone, I found spider silk consists of proteins that they’d sometimes eat to replenish some energy if no other food source is available. If that also applies to Arachne in this world, then Lili using so much of it to make my clothes must’ve taken quite a toll on her condition.

Also, I realized then that I can use the internet in this world … as if that wasn’t strange enough already, all of my contacts were erased to be left blank. I wondered if the Immortals prepared this ahead of time and made a mental note to ask Ms. Obina why they did this later.

“… I couldn’t possibly take all of this for free, even if they’re supposedly a gift as thanks.”

After trying to explain to Nyra what my smartphone is, I decide to take fifteen gold coins (150,000 karos) from my [Storage] and use [Portal] to sneakily set the stack in her room on the nightstand before I go back in the house the way we came out.

~~

“Even though I didn’t originally plan for this on my vacation, I’ll be staying here for a couple more days to help with the reparations in the city as much as I can. I was only let off of the work up to now because I volunteered to help provide Jinma new clothes. After my days are up, I’ll be heading back to Korangar and resume business at my shop.”

When I regrouped with the three, Lili prepared water and juice for us before we sat down in the living room and she started off explaining her plans. Though she didn’t have a chair, her posture looked as if she was sitting on something, and even her ‘legs’ were crossed as she talked in a calm, cool manner. I read earlier that her front-most legs are actually a spider’s ‘palps’ for eating, obviously not the same for Arachnes, but since she ‘hugged’ me that way earlier, maybe they’re used in a different context?

It’s as if we never had that conversation in the basement. I really admired her for being so mature out of this, which also ups her appeal as a woman.

“So, Jinma, what will you do?” Lili then asks me.

I then told her a little of what I explained to Ren and Erizora: become a registered adventurer to live freely while finding out more of what me having these ‘Devil Eyes’ are about.

“Well, you’ll certainly need to talk to someone from the Devil race for your eyes, though I wouldn’t keep my hopes up of them being able to help you. They tend to be very prideful, being among the strongest of Demon races to not bother with helping those who are weaker than them,” she says after I explained.

“Are you sure there isn’t anyone from the Devil race you know that might be able to help me? Anyone at all?”

“… It’s a stretch, but the Demon King happens to be a Devil. The biggest problem is getting an audience with her. Unless you’re signing a death wish and challenge her for the seat on the throne, there’s her right-hand man, the Duke of Demons, who’s also a Devil, but isn’t as flexible in negotiating with the other races other than his own as the Demon King is. He wouldn’t let just anyone in to see her, even if they come for the challenge of taking the throne.”

“Huh, so what exceptions would he make to let people in to see the Demon King?” I ask.

“They’d have to bear some sort of sign of great recognition, for one, like being a noble, or a well-renowned adventurer who’s on the same level as the ‘Duke of Demon’s Disciples’ to be able to catch his attention. The Disciples, by the way, is also an adventurer party consisting of members handpicked by the duke himself to be assigned special tasks. They’re said to be the strongest adventuring party in the Demon-Kin’s Territory.”

“… I’m gonna take a wild guess and say that great power, strength, magic, or otherwise, is what determines who sits on the throne as the Demon King.”

“You got that right. It’s a deciding factor for most ‘political matters’ around these parts, and as you can guess, the Demon King is renowned as the strongest of all amongst the Demon-Kin.”

“Any other exceptions that he’d let others in? I’d rather not fight unless it’s a last resort.”

Crazy coming from me, I know, but unless there are high stakes at risk, winning fights for almost every little thing every time gets really boring quickly, enough that I don’t want to waste any more precious time on it.

“There is showing physical proof that the Demon King invited you to her castle, and then … there’s bringing a Champion to exchange for a reward as she announced 4 years ago. There’d have to be proof that he/she is a Champion, of course, but from what I’ve heard of the few who have been presented to the Demon King, they were let in immediately.”

“Ah! Then that’s perfect!” I exclaim while clapping my hands. “You’d just help take me to them as a captured Champion, and boom, we’re in! Quickest and easiest way to get in without any struggle.”

“… And I just said I had given up taking you in, too.” Lili pinches the space between her eyes while sighing.

“W-Wait a minute, Ms. Lili just said Champions were brought in to the Demon King, but Master isn’t a Champion … is he?” Ren asks as she and Erizora turn to me.

“Ah, right. Can you two keep this a secret?” I ask as I reach into my MIB to pull out the IEB, to which the two of them gasp. “I imagine the proof they want would be this.”

“… I-I may not have seen it before, but come on, Master, this has to be some sort of lame joke. That’s just a regular gold bracelet, right?” Erizora asks.

“No, it’s the real thing, the sign of Champions representing the Immortals, the ‘Immortal’s Enchanted Bracelet.’ I confirmed it myself after showing it to my mother,” Lili says.

““Master’s a—!?””

I stop Ren’s and Erizora’s outburst with hands over their mouths. “Keep it down! We don’t want others to hear this!” I exclaim in a whisper.

They nod in understanding before I remove my hands.

“Anyway, how did your mother confirm it was the real deal?” I ask after putting the bracelet away.

“Mom works in the adventurer’s guild as a receptionist and has a skill that appraises items among other things. She may have never seen it in person before, but it only takes one glance before she knows exactly what something is in an instant. It’s a skill all adventurer guild receptionists have when they work there long enough.”

“That’s certainly useful … wait, won’t she need to report something like that with them since it’s such a big deal?”

“She said she’d keep quiet until I take you to the Demon King, but really, unless it’s something dire and life-threatening, adventurer guild receptionists don’t really talk a lot about work outside of the building or their personal lives inside it anyway, so we’re clear on that.”

“I-It’s not good with us, though!” Ren exclaims. “Master, we’re required to report our activities to Mistress Carmen at the end of our services with clients! We may have to reveal your identity to her just by setting our ‘Confession’ to the max!”

“Who knows what she may do when she finds out?!” Erizora adds.

“Yeah, that does sound bad if you’re under her legal ownership, but if I redeem you before then, there should be no worry, right?”

““…””

“W-What … did you say?” Ren asks.

“You don’t mean …” Erizora adds.

“I have no knowledge to the customs, directions, or common sense to the Demon-Kin’s Territory, and if I want to get to the Demon King to find some answers, I’ll need some guidance to help me get around. We’re definitely going to be running into some obstacles down the line, but I see you two as very strong, capable women who I can trust to watch my back while I do the same with yours. If you’re both willing to take the challenge, would you two want to come with me, not just as my slaves, but companions?”

““Yes!”” They didn’t even take a second to respond as they jump up and lift me off the couch … or more like Erizora swept both Ren and me off our seats before she hops in joy with us in her arms. The Werewolf and Ogre/Human squeal and cheer with great joy knowing I’ll be redeeming them.

Why are you speaking like a narrator on a poorly written web novel?! Also, you said ‘lust’ four times there, that is not even close to what my dream is and there’s no way any of that will ever happen!

~~

When Ren and Erizora calmed down, we went right to work. Making sure we have all of our things, I use [Portal] to take us back to the park where we left. Lili takes the privilege of going on ahead to the adventurer’s guild to let her mother, Ms. Raize, know that we’ll be coming over to register later while Ren and Erizora lead me back to the tents where Ms. Carmen’s business is. I figured I might as well get their redemptions done and out of the way first so I could register us all as a party when we get there. Plus, I want to get that ‘deal’ between Ms. Carmen and Tephalia voided so the latter won’t have to worry about paying for any collateral that was anticipated from me under Nyra’s curse.

Also, if redeeming them are as much as Ren said, including what I’ve already given to Tephalia, I should still have enough from my own pocket to put back into Ms. Umeiyon’s ‘gift’ that I’m planning on returning later. Plus, I’ll be getting some earnings once we disassemble the parts from the monsters I collected, including the Toxic Troll that was put up as a ‘wanted’ quest, anyway, so I may likely not end up with so little when everything’s settled.

When we arrived at the tents, we go to the smallest out of the pack where her ‘office’ would be.

“Mistress Carmen! It’s Ren and Erizora! We’ve returned!” Ren exclaims from the outside.

Suddenly, noises of stuff being toppled and knocked over are heard before the entrance parts open wide, the ringmaster-clad girl stands surprised at the center with arms spread out to hold the tarp.

“It is you two! You’re alive?! Wait, what about your purities? Did he do anything to you two?”

“Uh, I’m right here.”

“Ack!” Ms. Carmen jumps and stiffens in place at my call. “M-Mr. Kotori! Welcome! Good to see you’re doing well! Have you … enjoyed playing with the girls to your heart’s content?”

“I didn’t do anything strange with them if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“… What?”

“It’s true! Master didn’t do anything extreme to us! Well, there may have been some mishaps and close calls, but he hasn’t claimed either of us at all!” Ren exclaims.

“… You two, get in here.” Ms. Carmen then pulls Ren and Erizora inside the tent before poking her head out between the partings. “Excuse me, but we’ll be but just a moment,” she says before pulling back.

Is it really so strange of me to not doing anything to them?

<“Well, aside from how brutal you were to the cultists and Bear Moles when you first wielded me, we are talking about slaves here. I’m only going by what I’ve heard and read in the minds of those who’ve held me previously. As far as I know, when a guy is given a girl to use as their sex toy with no consequence, they’d take that offer without question and use them at the first opportune moment, with or without her consent, with no consideration over whether they’d get impregnated by the end of it. That’s how it was waaaaaaaay back, but now the industry seems to have taken a course where the slaves are treated with slightly better care and management. I imagine that depending on who’s doing the business, what the clients do to the slaves, whether it’s after renting or redeeming them, the treatment isn’t much different now. For you, who not only find those girls sexually attractive, but don’t make a move on them, even though they said you could do whatever you want with them, and treat them with as much respect and consideration—with maybe a little more of the latter than needed—as one would with another of their own race, you’re probably the anomaly of men here.”>

Gee, I’m honored to be viewed so highly by your standards.

<“Believe me, yours is a good strange. I don’t know if it’s just from your ‘unique’ heroism last night, but you’re catching a lot of the girls’ attention around these parts. Just look at the three slaves huddling together on your left.”>

I follow Nyra’s direction and confirm her description. They have the animal ears and tails of a feline, a canine, and a rabbit, respectively, but do not have matching limbs like Ren does as their hands and feet resemble a human’s, five fingers and all. Actually, the first two look more ‘pet-like,’ as in they are bred to be domesticated as one would to live with humans. I take a quick look of their detailed stats with my ‘Size Up’ and find they are a ‘Cat Beastman,’ ‘Dog Beastman,’ and ‘Bunny Beastman.’

I learn later that there are the ‘demon reflections’ that are like the Werewolves, but are aptly named Werecats and Wererabbits for the feline and rabbit species. I have this peculiar feeling that the Cat and Dog Beastmen in particular were more feral a long time ago. Maybe there still are some around in the Demi-Kin’s Territory, but perhaps their time after being captured as slaves has evolved them to be where they’re more obedient and loyal to their owners than other slaves would. It’s kind of strange to see something that animals go through overtime does the same thing with the humanoid equivalent.

When they realize I’m staring at them, the cat girl in particular smirks and lowers her eyelids as she raises a hand and trails her fingers in my direction.

I check around to make sure she wasn’t directing it at someone else before looking back and hold an open hand up in kind. The cat girl brightens up and whispers something to the girls excitedly before they giggled.

How can you even be so sure that they’re even into me and not aiming to scam me instead? Don’t tell me you’re basing this off of ‘female intuition.’

<“It is female intuition. That, and I’ve honed my Psyche Magic over the thousand-plus years in the tanto to be able to tell what one’s thinking and feeling at the given moment.”>

Psyche Magic? That doesn’t sound like something from the usual six attributes.

That’s kind of scary.

You actually weren’t using your magic until just now, were you?

Anyway, if you said half of her feelings are nefarious then there’s no reason for me to do anything with her. Besides, even without this Psyche Magic, I’ve at least been able to tell when someone’s not wanting to be near me for as long as I could remember. Girls, especially, when I can see the fear in their eyes.

Would fainting at the sight of my bad smile before her friends pick her up and run-away screaming count as ‘being shy?’

<“… Okay, you got me there, and your smile is unpleasant when it’s the sadistic one, but I’m telling ya that you’re more popular among certain crowds as you might think. That aside, you’ve been planning on taking Ren and Erizora in for a while have you? Did their stories touch you or something?”>

Well … in a way, I guess.

“Mr. Kotori! You can come in, now!”

Before I could think any further, Ms. Carmen calls me from inside, to which I follow through. Ren and Erizora are off to the side sitting at attention on some cushions. Ms. Carmen sits behind a foldable table that acts as her desk, while a folding chair sits across from her.

… Wait, there are folding chairs and tables around here, too? I ask in my mind, now realizing such a stark contrast between modernism and fantasy is sitting in front of me.

“Have a seat,” Ms. Carmen says while gesturing to the chair, of which I sit in compliance. Despite the circus ringleader getup, she currently has an air about her that screams ‘business.’

“I had the girls give me the rundown of what went on between the time you woke up to now. There was some info about you that they were desperate not to reveal under your request. Normally, slaves would reveal everything without hesitation of their clients, including secrets they were told not to tell, but this is the first I’ve seen two who’re respecting your privacy, and have their ‘Control’ and ‘Confession’ functions set so low on the bars. I admit I’m curious about you, but unless it’s such a dire matter that’s related to a crime, I have a right to report those suspicious clients to the authorities for questioning. It doesn’t seem like you fit the bill from what they’ve told me, so your secrets, whatever they are, are safe for now.”

I glance over to the girls who still sit there at attention. Perhaps they’re doing as trained while under a slave merchant’s watch.

“That aside, while you had put them in some … awkward situations, as they’ve said, you really didn’t do anything to taint them over these last couple hours. Now, you’re already aware of the deal I had with Lady Tephalia during the time you were out last night, right?”

I nod in confirmation. Ms. Carmen then pulls out a parchment from a case she had under the table.

“And I can see from your side that what they said about you owning that cursed weapon is also true. Under this last-minute contract I whipped up for Lady Tephalia to sign, it states she would handle the collateral should Ren and Erizora, who I’m currently lending to you while they’re still under my legal property, die under your hands, in exchange to providing you the 36-Hour Gold-Level Free Trial where you can do whatever you want with them, including having sex with them. This is also considered a gift of thanks from me to you, who helped break us out of captivity and save one of the cities our business has good success with under my father’s name, and when I messaged him about it last night, he agreed the move I made was the right one. Now, you’ve come back here with the both of them with the interest of redeeming and certifying them as your official slaves after taking astoundingly good care of them, and they deemed you worthy as their ideal owner as written in their criterion under the ‘Slave’s Silver Lining Policy.’ Am I missing anything here, Mr. Kotori?”

“No, that is all true. I would like to take Ren and Erizora in under my supervision as their master.”

“And you’ve listened and understood the circumstances they explained to you?”

“For the most part, yes.”

“And you’re seriously still a Brawler class at your age?”

“It is what it is,” I answer while shrugging.

“… Right then! Since you hardly did anything with them to the point of returning them to me, we can have Lady Tephalia’s contract nulled and voided, so let’s get you set up with your certification right away, shall we?” She asks while quickly ripping and shredding the contract into many pieces before throwing them in the air like confetti.

“Really? Just like that? Don’t I need to do something to prove I fit in their criterion?” I ask. Even Ren and Erizora look surprised at this sudden turn of events.

“That would be the case, but you took down a Toxic Troll that even Erizora might have difficulty in handling, and single-handedly took down all those cultists and monsters from last night to now while maintaining your sanity with the cursed weapon, or ‘Nyra’ as you call her, on your person. I don’t think I need any more proof to know how strong you are. Under the ‘Slave’s Silver Lining Policy,’ I will charge your redemption on Ren the Werewolf, and Erizora the Ogre/Human, at the reduced prices as honored.”

“I thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Carmen,” I say while bowing. I can hear Ren and Erizora sniffling in their seats off to the side. They sound like they’re desperately trying not to cry in front of us. Nyra tells me in my head that they’re brimming with great joy, so if they’re this happy with the circumstances, then I guess this is a good sign.