Dancing Circles on the Horizon of Events

After the waltzes got home in the basement. A merchant brigade came to the village. About once a week, the people who came to the village said that they would stay only one day and go to the next town, and that they would come to the village the day before the waltzes came to the village.

For the people of the village, the merchant corps was indispensable. It takes 3 days each way to get to the official capital where you can do decent shopping. 6 days round trip. Including the time spent shopping in the capital city is a plus one day, and it takes a total of one week. Besides, it was not realistic to go shopping frequently to the official capital if you consider the risk of being attacked by the expense of the lodgings and monsters. In that regard, if you use the commercial corps, even if you take a small fee, it is cheaper than the accommodation expenses and travel expenses... Furthermore, it could avoid the risk of being attacked by monsters and losing my life, so I had no choice but to use it.

Therefore, for the villagers, the merchants are those who should be welcomed. Since they were equal to the lifeline for the village, it was common sense to treat the village as a host.

Muroro-san, Commercial Captain

The village mayor sends words of labor to the leader of the merchant corps. He had been an acquaintance for 10 years, and his words included a friendly colour.

Normally, a greeting from the leader of the Commercial Corps would have flown right away, but somehow today, it seemed that the response had not flown. His gaze from the carriage was directed away from the village chief, as if he was staring at it. With a sharp gaze, like a merchant, as if he had found a business opportunity.

"... where are they?"

It was not a greeting but a question that came out of the mouth of the leader of the Commercial Corps. His gaze reflected on the Beastman, who had just broken the firewood with wind magic.

"Oh, they--"

They are beasts who live with certain girls... "The village chief thought so, but he could not say a word about it. There are certain girls--whether they are waltzes or beasts--who can't talk much to others, and they are related to the Grand Duke who escaped the coup d 'état in the capital. Can I explain to you the beasts that are related to them...?" The village chief wondered.

After suddenly silencing the village chief, the leader of the merchant corps finally turned to the village chief.

What's wrong with you?

"Huh? No, no..."

"So, what kind of people are they?" I've never seen a Beastman use magic before. Besides, there was originally no Beastman slave in this village, was there? I don't think it's a new purchase... and I'm very curious about where it came from. Would you mind telling me? ”

"W-Well, that's it..."

When the village chief was reluctant, the facial expression of the leader of the merchant corps who was once again looking at the beastman suddenly clouded.

"Hmm? They don't wear slave collars...?" Are you sure you're not a regular slave? "

The slaves will be given a magic collar by the slave dealer for control. If there is no such thing, is it a slave, or did you remove the collar in an unauthorized way...? In the latter case, the owner is an unknown slave, so anyone can claim ownership if they can prove that the person is a slave.

And it was against the Beastman. In this kingdom all beasts, without exception, are slaves. In other words, if the Beastman did not wear the collar of a slave, even without a certificate, he would become an unknown slave, so if he captured it and brought it to the slave dealer, he could claim that it belonged to him.

Moreover, the village chief could not explain the identity of the beasts and was reluctant to say. And the Beastman there is a special individual who can use magic... The merchant couldn't have missed such a situation.

The leader of the Commercial Corps begins to interpret it in a way that is convenient for him.

I see. Are you a slave to a flow that you don't know where it comes from?

"Eh?!"

“Very well. We will protect him and take him to the slave trade.”

"Hey... wait a minute--"

The leader of the merchant corps ignored the village chief who was trying to stop him. In order to seize the opportunity, I decided that it was time to force the members of the Commercial Corps to move forward.

"He's a wild slave! Get him! (I'm sorry. Village chief. I'll serve you next time, so it would be helpful if you missed this place.)"

"If I apologize later, it doesn't matter..." The leader of the merchant corps, who knew the village was dependent on the merchant corps, logically judged the situation and chose the plan to be the most profitable for them.

I can't even predict what kind of people the beastmen in the village are connected to...