Chapter 34
---Thirty Minutes Later---
The state of those held in the basement was far worse than I had been led to believe. Most were missing multiple limbs and had been altered into living sculptures. The sight was so horrifying that poor Olivia and Yunyun had to rush outside to puke their guts out. They felt horrible about their strong reactions, but no one could fault them for it. Any normal person would have the same reaction in their place.
Once we had assessed the victims, the four of us restored them. The process required a great deal of magic and mental processing power. Olivia and I did the heavy lifting while Aqua and Yunyun supported our efforts. After an immense amount of work, we restored every victim to a near-original state. Because of the limits of our magic, certain body parts were beyond our capability to restore. The lingering damage would not inhibit them from living ordinary lives, but any hope of starting families was out of the question.
Once our work was done, we joined up with Chris and her subordinates, then headed to the Guild Hall. As the victims we healed were led inside, the Guildmaster and several men approached.
“Everyone, you have done this city a great service! Because of your actions today, these missing persons can return to their loved ones.” The Commander of the City Guard slammed his fist against his breastplate. “You have my word. We will see everyone is brought home.”
“Where is everyone else?” The Guildmaster asked, looking outside the door for the other adventurers.
“The slavers were operating out of seven other bases. I dispatched them to destroy the bases and bring the captives and slavers back. Any wounded individuals will be taken to the Temple for treatment at my expense.” I gave him a nod. “Chris, please have your people bring your findings inside.”
At my command, the Master Thief and her subordinates carried in crates of papers. Once all eighteen were stacked neatly by the receptionist area, they walked over to us.
“Hehe! We found a treasure trove tucked away in a secret room. It was up in the attic at the back of the building.” Chris handed over a small stack of papers. “I think you will find these most interesting. From what I can tell, it appears another war with the Rachelle Holy Kingdom is imminent.”
We nodded.
“We are well aware. Lord Aremus uncovered a group of spies operating out of the royal palace.” The Guildmaster smirked. “Thank you for your hard work. I will make sure you are compensated for your work.”
“No need. Lord Aremus is picking up the tab this time.” Chris turned to me, her hands extended for her payment.
Without a word, I began passing out the half pound of gold I promised. As they received the gold, her subordinates bolted out of the Guild Hall to spend it. Before Chris followed suit, she got close, leaped up, and planted a kiss on my cheek.
“That is my reward for you.” She gave me a teasing smile. “Thank you for giving a crap about those who call the slums home. You are one of the few true nobles in this damn kingdom.”
From behind me, I could feel three sets of eyes burrowing into the back of my head. A fourth set stared at me, though with more surprise than anger.
Chris also felt the angry glares. She waved goodbye and scurried away.
“Leon! You should stay away from wicked women like Chris,” Yunyun said. “Well, she isn’t that bad, but hanging around a thief will only lead to trouble.”
“I will keep that in mind.” I glanced back and noticed the cute expressions on their faces. ‘Haha! Lucoa, Roxanne, and Yunyun are so fucking adorable when they are angry.’
With their work complete, Kazuma and company came to me to collect their payment as well. I handed over the gold and wished them good luck on their future endeavors. While Kazuma turned to leave with Darkness and Megumin, Aqua hung back.
“Hmm. Have we met before?” Aqua asked, looking at me from several angles. “You radiate the aura of a deity about you, but you are not one of my peers. What pantheon are you from?”
“I do not have the slightest idea what you are talking about.” My expression soured. “Are you saying you are a deity?”
At my question, Aqua took a step back and puffed her chest out. With a smug grin, she batted her eyes like a performer on a reality show and struck a pose.
“That is right! My name is Aqua, Goddess of Water!” She shook her hips around. “Please try not to fall in love with me. I am single, but I am a maiden for—”
I grew irritated by her smugness. I lifted my boot and planted a firm kick into her gut. Aqua shot out the door, the wind knocked clean out of her.
“Kazuma… You should help your comrade rein in that mouth of hers.” I turned back toward my friends. “To me, the most attractive women are the ones who are reserved in showing off their natural beauty. Nothing is more irritating and unattractive than a woman who relies solely on her appearance to get attention.”
Lucoa, Olivia, Roxanne, and Yunyun blushed at my words. They understood the comment was pointed at them, and they were overjoyed. Unlike most men, I did not shower the women I liked with warm compliments every moment. Words lost their meaning if you overused them. It was best to save them for moments where they could deliver maximum impact.
The Guildmaster coughed, as he felt awkward. “Is there anything else, or was that it?”
“I believe that was it for now.” I looked at him. “With your permission, I would like to take Lucoa with us to do a bit of shopping. I have some upcoming events I have to prepare for, and I thought a day of shopping would help everyone mentally recover.”
He nodded. “I will allow it today. Miss Lucoa, make sure you clock out and grab your personal items before leaving.”
With a smile, she skipped to the back room to do just that. When she returned a few minutes later, Lucoa showed off the mug Roxanne and Yunyun had bought her as a thank-you gift. Once she was finished showing off, we departed for the Market District.
---Twenty Minutes Later---
The Market District was a hive of activity. Vendors were calling out their offerings to potential customers, while shoppers, mostly housewives and servants, browsed stalls and stores. As we walked past them all, Olivia leaned forward with an inquisitive look.
“So, what items do you need to purchase?”
With a smirk, I gestured toward a well-manicured shop at the edge of the market square. “First item on my list is ingredients, tableware, and tea for my first tea party. It has not been made public yet, but I will soon be promoted to the rank of Marquis. As such… I am required to host a tea party at least once a month.”
My words caught the women by surprise. Their bodies froze in place as worried expressions crept onto their faces.
The jump from Honorary Baron to Marquis was a vast chasm. An ordinary citizen could only ever dream of joining a Marquis’s party. They trusted Leon would not abandon them, but the weight of society’s expectations might force him to change things up.
“Does this mean our party will soon disband…?” Yunyun asked, looking at Leon’s back with devastation painted on her face.
I stopped and turned back to look at the worried women. Even Lucoa, who would remain my guild representative either way, looked absolutely deflated.
“I made a promise to you, did I not? No matter what, come hell or high water, I would never force you to leave. The only one who can make that decision is you. Our party will remain as it always has, a place for those I care about and myself.” I gave them a warm smile. “The only thing that will change is that we will soon have three new members: Angelica Rapha Redgrave, Clarice Fia Atlee, and Deirdre Fou Roseblade.”
“Uh… Why are the fiancées of Prince Julius, Young Lord Marmoria, and Young Lord Arclight joining your party?” Lucoa asked, tilting her head. “Does this have something to do with their unscheduled visit this morning?”
Olivia rushed forward, beaming with excitement. Since first meeting Angelica and the others, she had formed a strong relationship with them. Every night, the women had come to her seeking knowledge about a commoner’s lifestyle. What started as educational lessons developed into close friendships.
Last night, she was one of the few people who attempted to help the five women. As a result, she was beaten up by her classmates, then tossed back into her bedroom. Through gritted teeth and tears, Olivia kept trying to help them until exhaustion took her. It was only after Leon’s rampage this morning that she could leave her room again. By then, no one dared to stop her, but the five had vanished.
“I heard a rumor that you proposed to Angie, CC, and Dede?” Olivia asked, her face lit up with joy. “Is it true?”
“Yes, this morning, I asked their fathers for their blessing and permission to date their daughters with marriage in mind. They agreed on the condition that we would take things slowly. It is difficult to let go of over sixteen years of love. They accepted because, compared to other prospects, the three of them acknowledge I am far better.”
Overjoyed, Olivia performed a little happy dance. She vehemently disliked Julius and his friends because of the torment they put Angelica and the others through. Now that they were with a better man, she felt happiness for them. Beneath it all, though, a cold ache settled in her heart.
“I hope you ladies do not mind.” I patted Olivia’s head. “They do not hold disdain for other races, so you will not have to worry about bullying.”
“We do not mind.” Roxanne and Yunyun nodded.
“I do not really have a say in your party members. So long as no one receives unfair treatment, I am happy.” Lucoa strolled forward with a mischievous smirk. “Now that you found yourself a few wives, how about taking on a mistress or two? I would happily roll around under the sheets with you if it means I can quit my job and laze around the house.”
Roxanne and Yunyun pounced on her from behind. Neither of them would let Lucoa have her way here. They had made an agreement behind closed doors, and she was violating it.
“Alright, I yield!” Lucoa winced as they pinned her to the ground. “It was just a joke! Please forgive me!”
Instead of giving her sympathy, I turned and walked away with Olivia. After a bit more roughing up, Roxanne and Yunyun jumped off Lucoa to chase after us. Lucoa followed suit once she dusted herself off.
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