Chapter 4. Go after the weak first. (One)
“What!”
Liam’s complexion turned white in shock. He shook his head, not wanting to believe the reality that he had lost his sword.
“This, this…!”
“From now on, let’s use the real sword.”
I plunged the wooden sword I was holding into the floor.
“And, by showing a different sword technique one day a day.”
I leaned there and asked leisurely.
“how is it?”
Liam’s face distorted unsightly. That was probably the face he wanted to see on me.
I enjoyed watching it.
‘I feel bad.’
To crush another person with overwhelming force. It was such an ecstatic feeling.
‘If it’s like this, it might be worth a try.’
I smiled and clenched my fists. My hands were itching to hold something other than this wooden sword.
❖ ❖ ❖
next day.
I finished breakfast at the restaurant and returned to my office. As I was just picking up the first document,
“young master.”
Philip spoke in a worried tone.
“Are you okay inside?”
“what?”
“Well, you didn’t eat much in the morning because you felt sick to your stomach. Lately, you’ve been eating a little less, so I asked if you were okay.”
Philip’s expression ‘a little’ was ambiguous. These days, the way I eat is almost like a glutton.
“Not really.”
I answered briefly and then asked politely.
“Is Max having a hard time?”
“Well, that can’t be possible!”
Philip jumped up from his seat.
“No, absolutely not. How dare I not be grateful when you enjoy your meal!”
He repeatedly shook his head and emphasized again and again that it was absolutely not true.
“Max never struggled. Never, ever.”
“…….”
“Please don’t doubt his loyalty. You know how loyal he is to you.”
“Of course, you know.”
I hid my shocked expression.
‘I was just asking.’
He had become noticeably more polite since I got my hands on Requiem. Of course, he was polite before, but what can I say now?
‘Do you feel like you have surrendered deep inside?’
Philip had no connection to swordsmanship or martial arts. However, he seemed to have noticed that something had changed in me because he had an extraordinary sense of humor.
Anyway, it was a welcome change for me. I had no intention of placing a character in the castle that I could not control.
“What about the next document?”
“Here it is.”
I didn’t say anything after that and just focused on my paperwork. But inside, I was thinking about Max.
To be precise, about my void that Max cannot fill.
‘It will explode someday.’
It was an instinctive hunch.
I have a feeling that what seems like a gentle wave now will one day become a huge, unstoppable tsunami.
In the end, my control only temporarily suppressed Requiem. No matter how much you suppress it, it is impossible to completely control such a powerful sword.
The emptiness that has filled the country will eventually spill over the dam.
‘I think I need to relieve this.’
It would be better if you make a faucet and let water flow little by little on a regular basis.
It may be possible to maintain a stable identity while utilizing the powerful power of Requiem.
“hmm…….”
I stopped stamping and started tapping my chin.
“…….”
Philip’s face was tense. He knew that this behavior of mine comes when I concentrate.
To be precise, when you focus on the bad side.
“Philip.”
“yes.”
“What did you do when you rescued a slave last time?”
Philip answered straight away without relaxing.
“I released everything as you said.”
“entire?”
“Yes. There are currently no slaves there.”
“Really? Well done.”
Philip relaxed a little at my praise.
“Where have you been getting all the slaves so far?”
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But the moment I asked a sharp question,
“-!”
A look of frustration appeared on Philip’s face. He felt very embarrassed, as if his private parts were revealed, and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
“hurry.”
Then, he finally opened his mouth to my chaggeun.
“That is, I bought it through a slave dealer.”
“How did you meet them?”
Philip’s eyes vibrated violently.
“Yes, master.”
He misunderstood the intention of my question and hurriedly came up with an excuse.
“Don’t worry. I completely hid my identity when I met them. They will never know that I am the Kindreal family’s butler.”
“Yes, yes.”
I answered half-heartedly and asked again.
“So how do you meet them?”
Philip blinked with an idiotic expression on his face. I clenched my chin and asked in a bitter tone.
“Did you ask something I shouldn’t have asked? I’m just curious.”
‘So why are you curious about that?’
It seemed like he wanted to say that, but Philip only asked with his eyes and couldn’t even open his mouth.
“Explain in detail.”
He rolled his eyes and eventually revealed the details.
“We made contact with those guys at Kader’s territory. We usually send a messenger to inform them of our intention to purchase….”
“Hmm.”
I nodded from time to time and concentrated on his explanation. And I confirmed that his explanation mostly matched the information I knew.
“Right.”
After Philip finished explaining, I rested my chin and tapped my cheek with my finger.
Philip looked at me.
“Well, master. If you need more slaves, I’ll come over. Why bother going all the way there…”
I ignored Philip’s words and finished stamping the document. That was the last document left in my hands.
“Is this the end?”
“……Yes that’s right.”
Philip continued to give me anxious looks, but I ignored them. When I got up from my seat, he quickly followed me.
“Are you going to your room today too?”
If I had answered ‘yes’ during this time,
“no.”
Today was different. Philip’s face looked pale at my answer, which was contrary to his usual answer.
“Huh? Then where…?”
“Bring your outerwear.”
I grinned and gestured.
“I’m looking at the castle well.”
Always with that smile that is refreshing by my standards, but gives Philip the chills.
❖ ❖ ❖
A bird with blue feathers split the sky. A white note was tied tightly to the bird’s leg.
The bird flew straight into the window of a building.
Hwiik.
Moritz, the man standing at the window, whistled. The bird landed lightly on his raised arm.
Moritz freed Jeon Seo-gu from the bird’s leg. A sharp smile crossed his lips as he checked the contents.
“I knew it.”
He went out into the hallway and knocked on the door of the next room.
“Hey, Noah. Your order has come in.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
The person who opened the door and came out was a young man in his twenties with a youthful appearance.
“Where should I go?”
“To the alley at number 7.”
“Oh, there.”
Noah’s eyes flashed with a cunning light.
“Isn’t that where we asked for five people last time?”
“that’s right.”
“How many people are you appeasing this time?”
“Five people this time.”
Noah opened his eyes wide and pretended to be surprised.
“Wow. As expected from a blue-chip customer. Any specific requests?”
“It just takes five people.”
“Aha. Then I’ll go right away.”
Noah stood in front of the door leading out, as if he had already finished preparing. Moritz asked him as he held the doorknob.
“Do you know who that customer is?”
“I know, of course.”
Noah grinned until his mouth split open.
“It was so obvious.”
Moritz also smiled as if he knew that would happen.
“Okay. So don’t go against your will and be nice to me.”
“No problem. Isn’t it my specialty to please them?”
A secret smile was exchanged between the two.
“Then I’ll be back.”
Noah said hello and headed downstairs. He passed his comrades standing guard and went inside.
“Five people. Age or gender doesn’t matter.”
As I spoke into the small window on the wall, the door next to it swung open.
“come in.”
A grim-looking man with a long knife mark on his face beckoned. Noah looked at him and swallowed her saliva.
‘Bruno of the Blood Halberd.’
Bruno’s name was quite famous in the underworld. His giant halberd has a red blade, but it is said that it was not originally that color.
‘The color changed because the blood didn’t dry for even a day.’
Noah shivered as he remembered the rumors about him.
“Five people, check.”
Bruno said in a husky voice.
Standing next to him were three male slaves and two female slaves. He had no external injuries and all his limbs were still intact.
However, everyone had a pale complexion, as if they had been emotionally shocked.
“Doesn’t everyone straighten their faces? Are you upset?”
Bruno growled and the slaves straightened up.
“You should be grateful if you picked up things that had nowhere to go, fed them, clothed them, and put them to sleep. Now, you’re even helping them meet new owners, huh?”
Bruno continued to scold the slaves in a harsh tone.
“Anyway, I don’t know any grace.”
As he rolled his eyes, the slaves scrambled to bow their heads.
“thank you…….”
“thank you…….”
The only meal I had was porridge, but at least I had a handful of ingredients. The clothes were made from clothes discarded on the street. When he was sleeping, he was so crowded in the small room that he couldn’t even move.
‘Thank you for this situation.’
Noah clicked his tongue inwardly.
Although I myself am not a very clean person, the man in front of me seemed to be truly unrivaled.
He was responsible for procuring ‘products’ for this store. They kidnapped lost children, runaway teenagers, and runaway pr****utes and made them slaves.
Even ten fingers would not be enough to count the number of slaves he had produced in this way.
‘Well, it’s none of my business. ‘I just need to get paid.’
Noah thought like that and looked at the slaves with a businesslike expression.
To them, these people were no longer human. It was just a product.
“Has confirmed.”
“good.”
“good bye.”
Noah gave a polite greeting and then led the slaves out. They loaded them into the carriage, and after processing them, they got into the carriage seat with the coachman.
“Let’s go to Kader.”
The carriage clattered down the road, while Noah leaned against the driver’s seat and was lost in thought.
‘You’re really buying it consistently.’
This customer always appeared wearing a gray robe. So I didn’t know his name or face.
However, judging by his older voice and manner of speaking, I could tell that he was a middle-aged man.
‘There is no separate hukou.’
He always paid as Noah called and never questioned the price. He didn’t bargain or even look closely at the goods.
He would just complete the transaction in a hurry, with a reluctant attitude, as if he had been forced to come here.
‘Thanks to you, the profits were good.’
Noah had been selling slaves for extra money. I gave some of the profits to the coachman as hush money, and used the rest to fill my stomach.
As he went through many transactions, he became aware of the identity of his customers.
‘He must be a servant serving a nobleman.’
An old-fashioned way of speaking, different from that used by back-alley people like Noah. He seems to be a little reluctant towards Noah, and even acts a little arrogant.
‘Wearing quite luxurious clothes.’
The robe he wore was by no means cheap. In addition, the cuffs that are peeked out every time money is handed over, the neatly pressed trousers that can be seen under the robe, and even the luxurious shoes.
At this point, I felt stupid for not knowing.
‘If I dig a little more, I think I’ll find out its identity.’
Noah licked his lips with regret.
fantasy,
