Chapter 434: A New Master
"Eh?"
Qiong Xing was still smiling gently, but something about the way he prompted him sent a cold sensation down his back.
"Roland, I trusted you quite a bit, you know."
"S-sorry!"
Rolamd immediately bowed his head.
Those around them were startled, but he was too flustered for anything else to matter, and cold sweat would not stop running down his back.
"As a merchant, it is understandable that you think in terms of profit and loss at all times, but I would be grateful if you understood that there are times when that is not appreciated. Merchants also need trust, don’t they?"
"Yes. I am truly sorry."
The reason he had recommended his own slave was not solely out of concern.
More than half of it was for his own benefit and realizing that he had been seen through was frightening.
"It would be impossible for you to simply hand over someone you have raised all this time just out of concern, wouldn’t it?"
That was correct.
Even if they were slaves, having one of his own people close to Qiong Xing would allow him to gather information.
The benefits Qiong Xing brought them were immeasurable, and placing someone close to him for intelligence gathering was nothing short of disrespectful to the trust Qiong Xing had shown him.
If Roland admitted it honestly, Qiong Xing would forgive him with a wry smile.
"I won’t say I’m not angry, but I am a little disappointed. As I said before, I trust you quite a bit."
Although he gave a wry smile, Qiong Xing felt relieved that the trust between them had not been completely lost.
"If you had simply asked me properly, I would have agreed since the children are under your care. The only thing I regret is that you did not tell me."
All Roland could do was apologize over and over.
It was precisely because Qiong Xing was this kind of person that Roland had liked and trusted him, yet he had tried to betray that trust.
"That would be unfair of me to say, but I also have a request for you, Roland."
"If it is something I can do, of course."
Wanting to regain Qiong Xing’s trust, Roland immediately nodded.
Setting Roland’s proposal aside for the moment, the procedures for the two beastman girls were carried out.
"As for these two... Ars, I want you to purchase them."
"What?"
Ars looked up at him in shock as if he had never expected such words, while Qiong Xing knelt down in front of him.
"You are the one who will be living with them, Ars. Rather than me, who cannot be present, buying them and giving instructions from afar, it would be better for you, who will live closest to them, to teach them what you want and how you want things done."
"...But I don’t have any money."
Qiong Xing felt relieved that he did not refuse outright.
"That is not a problem. Roland, could you handle this?"
"Understood. We will front the payment on our side for now."
Of course, Qiong Xing had also considered paying for them himself, but since he could not live with them, making him their master would only cause inconvenience.
There was also the issue that, since he was not their direct master, they might not properly listen to Ars if he gave instructions.
So instead, he decided it would be more efficient to make Ars their master, even if he was still a child.
He also believed Ars would not treat the two of them unfairly.
"From now on, use the monthly money you were giving me to pay off their cost."
The reason he asked Roland to handle the advance payment was to teach them the weight of money and the weight of buying a person, rather than having Qiong Xing, someone close to them, handle it directly.
"You’ll be left with nothing, you know?"
"If it bothers you, I would be happy if, when I stay over here, you let me eat the miso that you and the others make."
Originally, Qiong Xing had only taken the allowance because Ars would likely worry about it, but now that they were able to live on their own, there was no real problem in stopping it.
"Aren’t you going to stop coming?"
"Did you think I was coming for the money? That’s not true. I came because I wanted to see all of you. I really like you all."
"...Got it."
Ars still looked somewhat uneasy, but he nodded, so it should be fine.
After paying the fee, Ars was made to sign the contract.
"That completes everything. Shall we go buy what we need and head back?"
"If you write a list, I can deliver it later."
"No, there are things we need today as well, so we will buy them now. Would it be alright if I asked for your help?"
Qiong Xing declined Roland’s offer, since the two girls would also need new clothes, but instead asked him to carry the luggage.
In truth, the contract had already been completed, so he could have sent him back, but Roland insisted on helping, so Qiong Xing allowed it.
Hand in hand with Ars, they moved from shop to shop, but the cold stares people gave the slaves made the girl shrink back.
Her older sister Tasha tried to encourage her by holding her hand, but she also lowered her head, likely due to her injured leg.
"Let’s take a short break."
Qiong Xing asked Roland to buy them something to drink, and he ran off at an impressive speed, returning with tea for two.
Yes, two cups.
Presumably one for Qiong Xing and one for Ars.
Even though he understood that this was only natural, the reality still hurt a little, and he quietly felt a sting in his chest as he took out two cups and water from his bag.
"Are you alright with sweet things?"