41 – Emancipation Proclamation
"My, my." The Slave Trader gave me a bright smile as I walked in with Sylvia, Lia, Mein, and Rishia. Adjusting his suit with purple feathers around the collar, then his top hat, he smiled and said, "To think the lonely hero obtained a proper party... And such beauties at that." He gave Lia and Sylvia an appraising look and said, "You truly know how to invest, my friend. And also..." He looked at Mein and Rishia before he chuckled. "...You have quite the luck in obtaining premium goods."
Mein bristled.
Rishia shuddered in disgust.
Sylvia and Lia reflexively moved behind me, seemingly still traumatized by the area- Ah, wait. They were restraining themselves from drawing their blades.
Yeah, no. Guess I have to talk fast.
"First of all, since you were fair to me, I'll give you a heads up that slavery is completely outlawed now in Melromarc and that I'm about to clean house in Zeltoble and Four Bray for that."
The Slave Trader nodded, adjusting his monocle. "I'm quite aware. Considering the flow of events, I have already arranged things for you, Sir Naofumi."
I raised an eyebrow. "...You have?"
The Slave Trader chuckled and said, "I am no fool. You said it at the start, did you not? Kindness with kindness, malice with malice... and I have become quite acquainted with the level of malice you are capable of. So, as of the wave, I have rebranded as a simple monster pet emporium. My previous... 'stock' shall we say? Has been put into holding and treated with various elixirs."
Lia stared at the Slave Trader, still doubtful.
Sylvia just stayed quiet, as if processing her memories and thinking if there was any reason to NOT draw her blade on the man. But then she paused and said, "...Master. He was fair."
The Slave Trader nodded. "Indeed." He adjusted his monocle and said, "I am a businessman at heart... Ah. I suppose I never properly introduced myself." He took off his hat and bowed. "Beloukas, at your service, Sir Naofumi."
"...Your survival instincts are on point." I hummed. "Well, you'll be judged by your actions eventually. I have bigger fish to fry though, so let's just get down to business. You have connections in Zeltoble, right?"
Beloukas nodded and put his hat back on. "Why of course, Sir Naofumi." He glanced at Mein before back at me. "...I take it this will be a prelude to a greater war? Perhaps Melromarc marching in revenge for their dear princess being brainwashed by foreign forces?"
Mein immediately responded and said, "I wasn't-!"
I cut her off and said, "You can think of it like that."
Mein paused and then pursed her lips.
Beloukas chuckled and said, "Well then." He spread out his arms and said, "How can I be of service, Sir Naofumi?"
Lia nudged my back and said, "Goshujin-sama. Are you going to save everyone...?" Her crimson eyes flitted towards the back of the building.
Sylvia was quiet, as if recalling the memories of being here.
Rishia moved close to me too and said, "Sir Naofumi?" She looked hesitant, as if concerned about my character, but still having faith I was a good person.
"Well, I AM raising a country. And we do need people. So I guess you could call it saving them." I hummed and said, "For now... I will explicitly state this. I am the ally of those who are oppressed and bound by slavery here in Melromarc and its affiliated territories."
> [My Body as a Shield] has activated! Numerous targets are selected as allies! Numerous negative effects have been shifted to you!
> [Portal Shield Mk II] has added a new allied force as a target for translocation!
> [Slaves within Melromarc and its territories] may be selected for use with [Portal Shield Mk II]
> You have been struck by numerous negative effects!
> [Homeostasis Shield Mk IV] nullifies all negative effects!
> Numerous attacks upon your allies have been forcibly redirected towards you!
A flicker of messages in my field of view. And at the same time...
Screams filling the air, some drawing closer. As if being pulled by an invisible tether.
"...Huh." I glanced towards the rapidly approaching screams and said, "Excuse me for a moment."
I quickly walked outside to prevent property damage.
And the moment I did, a dozen nobles in various states of attire rushed towards me. Some were naked, looking like they were about to be 'in the act.' Others were fully clothed but clutching whips. Others still were holding magical items primed to attack.
They weren't the only ones too.
A large number of people were flying through the air towards me.
Beloukas followed me out, his monocle dropping to the ground and shattering when he saw what was happening. "By the spirits..."
"Well. If I'm wrong about this, you can curse me from heaven. But." I stared at the crowd of people rushing to forcibly attack me due to <My Body as a Shield>. "...I don't have the patience to individually judge you. And divine retribution is useful for optics. So, <Lightning III>."
A sudden burst of bright light and a thunderous explosion of sound.
Lightning poured down from a clear blue sky, striking down everyone who was redirected to attack me.
A redirection, mind you, because they were in the middle of attacking a 'slave within Melromarc's territory.'
And since 'attack' was defined as 'intent to harm' and shown by an overt action...
Yep. Didn't feel bad about this at all.
I watched as black ash drifted across Melromarc, all that remained from those nobles and others. Maybe Adventurers even who bought slaves as cannon fodder.
Either way though...
I turned back to Beloukas and said, "Before I forget, you mentioned you sold monster pets?"
"A-Ah." Beloukas nervously wiped his brow. "I-I do indeed, Sir Naofumi. W-Would you like to purchase some?"
"That's right. I'm looking for some Filorial eggs. And maybe a dragon egg."
I needed aerial transportation. And while I could probably figure out how to make a plane and pilot one, it would be better to have a means of transporation that could move on its own will while freeing me up to attack.
Beloukas let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "That's wonderful. I happened to have two cheap eggs of those flightless birds that were meant to be raised and sold for their meat... and I also have a Kiryuu egg. A fair price would be 20 gold coins for the Kiryuu and 100 silver for the other eggs... but for you-"
"One second."
I swept up all the carbon from the incinerated idiots nearby and then used <Synthesis> to make a handful of diamonds. Then I handed them over. "I don't have gold, but I can make plenty of these."
Beloukas stared at me.
I stared back at him.
Beloukas let out another nervous laugh and said, "...Sir Naofumi. This is just my intuition. But... are you..."
"Buying your services directly? Yes." I synthesized some more diamonds and said, "I have plans to topple some countries, you see. And having a man like you familiar with the underworld comes in handy. If you cooperate, you get rich, stay alive, and get to retire comfortably without a care in the world."
Beloukas pocketed the diamonds and said, "I accept."
"Smart man." I nodded. "Now. My intel may be inaccurate. But do you happen to have an uncle in Zeltoble by any chance? One with less scrupulous morals than you?"
Beloukas's eyes widened. Then they narrowed in calculation and he let out a cold laugh. "Well..." He glanced back towards the building where Lia, Sylvia, Mein, and Rishia were walking over with a group of slaves following them. "...Not for long, I presume."
I smiled. "Again... smart man."
===
The sun was beginning to set.
Due to her Shadows running damage control and, thankfully, the Sword Hero, Bow Hero, and Spear Hero cooperating with her, Mirellia had managed to calm a majority of the populace.
While there were still clear factions stirring with unrest, they weren't marching to the royal palace at the moment.
Seated at a table in the royal gardens, Mirellia sipped on a cup of tea and let out a soft sigh. "...It was a wise decision to not frame it as an assassination."
In the heat of the moment after executing her husband, she had planned to pin the blame on the other nations assassinating him.
But now, after seeing the fallout, it was clear that would have immediately sparked the powderkeg.
Siltvelt and Shieldfreeden's insurgents would have absolutely twisted the narrative to say that Mirellia had framed them as an excuse to wage war and then fanned the flames of dissatisfaction among the populace to come for her head.
Then Zeltoble and Four Bray would have just paid off the adventurers to come after her...
With that, the heroes, even if they wanted to help, would have been slaughtered from the sheer chaos...
No.
It was good that Mirellia changed her mind last minute.
Although...
Mirellia glanced at the report that her personal Shadow...
'Hm. I should give her a name at some point...'
Her personal Shadow had keen insight. First, interrupting Naofumi before he decided to simply claim the country for himself. Then for suggesting that they treated that Utter Trash as working in collusion with the other countries instead of simply being assassinated by them...
Mirellia noted that for later. But after that, she looked at the report that her personal Shadow gave regarding Naofumi's actions.
"Clearing out the slave market, recruiting Beloukas as an informant, creating a display of divine retribution upon those who harmed slaves, and now setting off for his territory with a small army of rescued slaves, as well as some of the more disgruntled citizens..."
Objectively, it was a clear threat to her country.
Naofumi... or at least the man wearing that name, since he made it clear it was not his.
That man was moving to secure a foothold in this world. And he clearly was aware of how to do so as well.
Although Mirellia didn't know how exactly he was planning to turn the vast grasslands into a country before Zeltoble and Four Bray invaded, she DID know that he was a man who seemed to be able to perform things no one could conceive.
Moreover...
'Just how much have you not revealed, Naofumi?'
Mirellia had met countless individuals in her time as Queen. Brave heroes, like the Seven Star Heroes. Lecherous nobles, like those from Four Bray. Competent generals and conquering lords, like those from Siltvelt and Shieldfreeden. Even distant rulers like that advisor from Q'ten Lo who visited in the distant past.
But none were like that man.
"...Just what are you looking at, Naofumi?"
Mirellia sipped her tea, lost in thought.
For the moment, it was clear that he was focused on the immediate situation at hand. After all, nobody's goals could be accomplished if war unfolded at the same time as the Wave erupted.
But...
For some reason, Mirellia felt that Naofumi was looking past all of that.
Not the Waves. Not even this world itself.
Instead...
Mirellia shifted her gaze up towards the sky that was slowly turning a purple hue. "...Not a ruler, he said. More of a governor, planning to set up his territory and have people self-organize... That was what he said, yes?"
A thought came to her mind then. One that, paired with the way Naofumi had been moving to free the slaves, as well as the proclamation he demanded she sign and put into effect... Specifically how it stated that 'all beings' are created equal, not 'all humans...'
Mirellia's eyes widened and she dropped her cup. It shattered against the table, spilling her tea. But she didn't pay it any mind.
Because she realized who... or rather 'what' Naofumi was now.
Mirellia let out a helpless laugh and said, "Oh, you foolish, foolish, foolish husband..."
No country was meant to summon more than one hero at a time. It was always split up for a reason.
That Utter Trash had broken the rules.
And because he broke the rules, 'something else' had managed to enter. Something that should never have been summoned, from a place they should not have been able to reach.
Not a hero.
Not a soul from another world who the spirits could bind into servitude.
But a punishment.
An entity whose very presence was similar to the Waves they sought to defend the world against.
Rather than a savior...
"...A monster. No. A 'rival.'"
...They summoned another player onto the board of this interdimensional war.
And no one else had realized it yet.
Mirellia picked up the pieces of her shattered cup and let out a helpless laugh. "Well... better the devil you know, I suppose...?"
At the least, the man calling himself Naofumi didn't seem to want the world destroyed, unlike the Waves or the hidden forces working in the background...