I Was Reincarnated As The Older Brother Of A Villainess Destined to Die, So I Want To Change The Future By Raising My Younger Sister With My Own Hands. I Am The Strongest In The World, But My Little Sister Must Be The Cutest In The World - Volume 4 Chapter 4.5
“Do you know that the value of beastkin slaves is rising?”
“Yes, I’ve heard that some individuals are buying up beastkin slaves in the capital city.”
“That’s correct. But don’t you find it strange? Why would they go through the trouble of buying slaves in the expensive capital city when they could do so in any other town?”
“… Indeed. If they wanted to buy in bulk, they could’ve chosen another town.”
“To prevent us from questioning it, our perception has been manipulated.”
“Could it be a curse?”
The reputation of witches seems well-deserved. Only those with knowledge in this area could notice the curse in this context.
The manipulation of perception falls under the category of mental magic, to be precise. However, similar effects can also manifest through curses.
To human eyes, things with unbalanced proportions—commonly known as curses—appear ambiguous. This phenomenon was applied in this technique.
A mild spell like “diverting recognition” can even catch someone as powerful as me off guard. Because its potency is too weak, it’s difficult to notice the sense of incongruity.
Still, if it weren’t for me, I don’t think anyone else would have even noticed the underlying issue.
“I see. I heard that the kidnapper you encountered before was wearing a cursed object. In other words, the kidnapper and the slave buyer are connected.”
“The method of purchasing slaves also overlaps with the witch’s or her associates’ techniques. They would acquire slaves through multiple intermediary points and transport them. Even if the number of slaves decreased during the journey, they didn’t seem to mind.”
Once, there was a dark guild that took on Nina’s kidnapping request. Even at that time, they used multiple intermediaries to prevent tracing back to the mastermind. It bears a striking resemblance to this current slave transportation situation
“While there’s no definitive evidence to declare it as absolute, the likelihood does seem high.”
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“Today, we’re finally going to raid the hideout we’ve traced to its final location. Will you accompany us?”
“Is that okay?”
“Ah, from the beginning, I’ve been intending to do just that.”
I know that the school head holds significant resentment towards the culprits behind this abduction case. While it might not completely alleviate with the progress of the investigation, it could provide some solace and help calm her mind.
Despite having various flaws, I acknowledge that this person is a respectable educator. She genuinely wishes for the children’s growth and is genuinely concerned for their well-being. I hold a certain level of respect for her in that regard.
We have also taken into consideration the risks that may arise from involving outsiders. Initially, after my subordinates have exerted a certain level of control, the school head and I will step in. While there might be some degree of risk, it is unlikely that the operation will fail catastrophically.
“I appreciate it,” the school head bowed deeply, her gratitude palpable.
“Don’t worry,” I smiled reassuringly, then proceeded to convey the plan.
“There isn’t much time until execution. Get prepared, as I will use my [Phase Link Gate] to transport us.”
“Oh, experiencing the legendary teleportation magic, are we? I’m starting to look forward to it!”
The school head began to prepare for the attack with a joyful skip.
Since there was no visible tension either on the surface or in their emotions, it seemed that everything would go smoothly during the actual event.
In the southwestern part of the Holy Kingdom, near the border with the city-state nations, lay a viscount’s territory. Within it stood a slave holding facility. Ostensibly, it appeared as a locally-oriented shop, but beneath the surface, it confined the purchased slaves in hidden chambers.
After teleporting, both the headmaster and I stood in front of this very shop.
As my subordinates had already initiated the assault, the interior of the shop was tumultuous. Bystanders were gathering around, but my subordinates were managing them, so there was no need to worry.
“It’s getting quite noisy. Won’t the lord of this domain intervene?”
“We’ve confirmed that the viscount’s family is unrelated. We threatened to report them to the kingdom if they sheltered the kidnappers, so they won’t take any action.”
It was fortunate that the viscount’s family was aligned with the palace faction. Since one of them had been present as a spectator during the duel six years ago, they readily agreed without much hesitation. Their face turned pale, though.
The headmaster gave me a sidelong glance.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, but you have a penchant for ruthless methods. No mercy.”
“If I showed mercy, I wouldn’t be able to protect what’s worth protecting.”
“True, that’s right…”
She agreed, half-closing her eyes.
The headmaster nodded thoughtfully and fell silent, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.
Having lived for a considerable amount of time, she probably has experiences where she regretted holding back. I have no right to criticize her about that.
To dispel the slightly heavy atmosphere, I continued speaking.
“Alright then, let’s go inside.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“According to the reports from my subordinates, most of the resistance has been subdued, though a small faction seems to remain.”
The information conveyed through my subordinates’ telepathy is reliable. My detection ability also assures us that there are no threats to me or the headmaster, so we should be safe.
The entrance to the underground chamber was located in the farthest room of the shop, within the proprietor’s office. Part of the floor had been removed, revealing a staircase leading down. Though my subordinates had already pried it open, it had initially been concealed behind a hidden door-like mechanism.
The sounds of combat seemed to be emanating from the lower levels where the remaining resistance was.
Accompanied by the headmaster, I descended the staircase.
Passing through the enclosure of sterile walls, we arrived in a large chamber. It was approximately twenty meters square, likely disguised as a warehouse. Various items were scattered around.
My subordinates had been engaging the remaining resistance here. Most of the opposition had already been dealt with, with only a few remaining. It’s only a matter of time before the situation is resolved.
One of my subordinates, who had noticed our arrival, approached us.
“Lord Zex, if I may—”
“No need for formalities. Given the circumstances, let’s keep this brief.”