Maou No Utsuwa

There is a narrow, winding path between the depressed and lush trees, which also does not reach much sunlight. It's a backstreet that people know about. There are only those with dark backs, such as those who go out of their way to avoid regular streets and think about using backstreets in the mountains that are not maintained.

The back streets had become a secret way out for those criminals.

Now and again, those people are going down the back streets. However, what is different from the regular ones is the large size of that population.

Ten carriages. Before and after that there will be an ill-personed relaxation that will be more than fifty escorts…, not only those who have become knights.

It's a bunch of bad guys.

"How long till we get to our destination?

One of the knights riding through the middle of the lead group inquired about the man walking next door.

"If things go well, in about two days"

"You still have two days..."

Hearing the man's answer, the knight showed his pioneering face. Three days into the back street. Though riding, it's tiring to go down an untouched bump path.

Besides, there's no lodging on the back street. I've always lived in the wild. If you go to war, even a ten-day camp is short, but this knight is not the kind of knight who goes to war.

"You have to do this to keep it out of sight"

The man complains lightly about the dissatisfied knight. I don't like guys and do this kind of hard work either. The demand to stay out of sight is from the side the knight serves.

"... something you can't handle"

"So this is the only way......!

A man who is still annoyed by knights complaining and a little absurd in his voice.

"It's not. It's about control."

But the knight was talking about something else. It's about taking control, taking control of the ban on illegal slavery.

"Oh... isn't that your job?

Knowing it's a misunderstanding doesn't erase a man's dissatisfaction. Prohibition of illegal slavery issued in the name of Emperor Ruthua. There is no such thing as the power to withdraw this to a man, or to a slaver who is an employer of a man.

If you can, Lord of the Knights, the nobility of the Ruthua Empire.

"We can't do that right away, so we're moving it to a safe place."

What they are carrying is illegal slavery. Illegal slaves who were in the aristocracy, and illegal slaves held by slave traders, were being cooperatively transported to a safe place.

"Because it's really gonna be withdrawn?

Hiding illegal slaves is only temporary. The nobles are going to work for the upper echelons of the empire to abolish the ban on illegal slavery, which is impossible but powerless.

"There are many aristocrats equally dissatisfied. If we count them, the Empire can't do it without them."

As the knight put it, there are other aristocrats who are dissatisfied. I don't know if I can conjugate that.

"As for this one, I hope they don't even pick it up."

If you're a man, you disagree with a knight. Slave traders who were dealing with illegal slaves have been picked everywhere. That was consequently increasing the value of illegal slaves, demonic and elf slaves.

There's a risk, but if you can dive through the picket, it's a chance to win a thousand bucks.

"Whatever happens, it's now something I've managed to get to a safe place"

"Oh. I know, I know."

When the two stop talking in vain, the silence wraps around them again. What you hear is a bird chirping, or you hear it from afar, something's barking.

For the past three days, the people of this group have been traveling silently and boringly.

But that's not until this moment, either.

- Suddenly, the wind that rolled up.

It swirls with tremendous momentum and passes diagonally ahead of the group.

The leaves of the trees that grow in the back streets dance through the universe. It's not just the leaves. The thick branches also rose to the universe, making a noise with Mirimiri.

"... said it was a tornado?

No one in the group thought about it, such as a tornado in a forest like this. Everyone was stunned and stood up for the sudden.

Even while the group does that, the tornado involves the surrounding trees -.

When it was healed, the eyes of those who walked in front showed a pile of fallen trees blocking the way and a man with a stupid big sword on his shoulder.

"… Kiki, you. Who is it?"

Unfortunately, the knight did not know who the man was.

"I'm on the side of justice!

Lutz answers to anyone in the knight what. You liked your dialogue, there's a grin on its face.

"You think you're on the side of justice?

"Oh my... leave the carriage if you don't want to die"

"... what?

"You know what I mean when I say this? You are violating the ban on illegal slavery. Tie him up."

"... kill it. Kill this man!

The knight chose this action when he found out that the opponent had come to pick himself up.

There is one opponent. I don't know what you thought would happen, but it's a stupid idea. I have no idea what it means to have come out alone before more than fifty enemies.

"Good development. It would be great to have someone to deal with later."

Lutz is still grinning in front of his attacking enemies. I don't think anything like standing alone against fifty enemies. I've confronted this many times as many.

"Let's go."

Lightly wielding a horse-slashing knife as long as his own back length, Lutz rushes toward the enemy. Every time I wave my sword, my bloodshot blows up, and part of my enemy's body dances through the universe.

"Come on, the strong one, come out!

Lutz screams as he cuts off two torso simultaneously in one swing.

He was a Lutz hungry for a fight against the strong, but unfortunately that hope was not fulfilled.

There was no decent match with Lutz for the laissez-faire hired by the slave traders and the hired knights of the aristocrats who had no war experience.

More than fifty people were destructively struck in just a few moments and scattered to flee.

"Thank you!"

It's Maria who's been speaking to Lutz after the fight.

"It's not a struggle. A little help."

"Me, the first thing I worked hard for"

The tornado that blocked the road was caused by Maria's magic. I do try just the first time.

"I am, though. Can I help you out a little bit, please?

"Ahhh. How could it be Lutz? Brother Kamui, if that's not good enough, Ignaz would be good."

Don't even listen to so much about Lutz, Maria is complaining about the combination. It's the stupidity I've been saying ever since I got on this assignment.

"Kamui is now in a separate matter. Plus, if it's Ignaz, it's gonna be magic and magic, right?

"That's good. 'Cause I'm gonna fly in one magic shot."

"... you're gonna blow it up to the people who help you, right?

This conversation has also been repeated many times. I'm sick of Lutz. I also know the words that follow.

"That's a good thing to do."

"Yes, sir. Do that next time. Okay, let's pull it up."

While the two of them are having this conversation, an ally lurking is on the carriage podium. Later, we're done moving places and freeing the illegal slaves that were captured.

Most importantly, it is only the Lutz mission that ends, and care for those who help will continue for a long time to come.

The liberation of illegal slaves in the true sense takes years.

◇ ◇ ◇

Two people across the table. One has a gentle grin and one is looking badly hung up.

This is a building of merchants in the northern city of the Ruthua Empire.

"I just happen to be unlucky this time so I don't get too depressed"

In a calm tone, it's Otto who's comforting them.

"Bad luck... even so, why did that bad luck come to me"

Otto's talker is Wallery, the lord of this merchant. Otto's comfort doesn't seem to heal his feelings either, and his stupidity leaks out of his mouth.

"So... what's the damage?

I'm sorry. Otto asks Wallery. Let's hear what's causing Valerie's impatience. It would also make me feel sorry.

"... everything"

"What? What do you mean, everything?

"Almost all slaves have been taken"

"Oh no..."

Hearing Wallery's answer, Otto is also showing how shocked he is.

"Lose the product and why should I go now..."

Wallery runs a slave trade. I didn't lose all that slave. It doesn't make business. I don't know why it's good, and Valerie holds her head.

"It's tough...... so what's the price for the slave this one sold?

"What?"

Hearing an unexpected question, Valerie looks up and stares at Otto.

"Who pays the price...?

With another look of sorry, Otto asks Wallery. It's a charge in this situation. Even if they seem sorry, some of Valerie's feelings create frustration.

"... there's no way I can pay. We just talked about this, didn't we?

"Yeah, I asked about the situation. But if you can't pay for this, you'll have trouble. If it's Lord Valerie, the same merchant, you know that, don't you?

"That's right...... So, can you at least wait a little while?

I know Otto's side is also convenient. But you can't pay what you can't. Wallery asked Otto for a moratorium on the payment.

"How long should I wait? Earlier you said Lord Valerie had lost everything. How did you construct the money out of that situation?

"It's..."

There can't be an arithmetic on the gold face. If that's the case, Wallery's complexion would be better. Otto knows he can't answer, and he's asking.

"Without specific measures, we will not be able to trust the payment itself. No respite."

Naturally, I do not intend to suspend payment.

"You can't pay me if you say so."

"Even if they reopen it that way...... if you can't pay in cash, you just have to get it as a replacement"

"Is that... no way?

Understanding the meaning of Otto's words, Wallery's face blued even further.

"That's the kind of contract"

The deal agreement between Otto and Wallery also incorporates the text in the event of this happening. Provision of collateral as cover in case of non-payment.

The collateral in this contract is the commercial rights this building and Wallery have. I mean, give the Chamber of Commerce round.

"... from the beginning"

"No way. The collateral is to protect itself in making a credit sale. Didn't you explain it at the time of the contract?"

Otto's chamber of commerce does not just hand over the money, but also sells credit and pays at a later date, depending on the other party. For the purchasing side, it's a really appreciated deal because you can do business without cash on hand.

"Yes..."

"I hear a good story about being robbed by bandits while transporting goods, but you can't possibly tell that will happen at Lord Wallery's Chamber of Commerce. Well, I can't believe we're moving all our products at once..."

Out of the question Otto blames Valerie for her breadth. Given the danger of being attacked by bandits, there can be no dangerous imitation of transporting all goods at once. He said there was nothing wrong with Valerie doing it.

"...... right. I'm sorry I said something weird."

I also know Wallery. So by hiring many escorts and not only moving them together with the nobility, they also enlisted the help of the knights of the house.

But even with all that preparation, the slaves have been taken. When this happens, I can only regret the indiscretion I carried at once. Although it is already too late to regret it.

"Nevertheless, how did you move a large number of slaves at once? You're not saying there was a customer who was bought in bulk, are you?

"It's..."

I can't possibly explain it. I dreamed of grabbing a thousand dollars and bought a ton of illegal slaves. There, the information that a simultaneous investigation would enter the area, as if it had anticipated the timing, was conveyed by the benevolent nobility.

I was lucky to get the information in advance, but I should have tried to keep it together and hidden in a safe place until the concurrent investigation was completed...

"You haven't changed anything from what I've heard about that. Then I'm very sorry, Lord Wallery. Lord Valerie's Chamber of Commerce will be mine."

"... give me a moment"

Valerie showed her last stickiness.

"If that pays for it, I'll wait, but it's not, is it? Excuse me, but even if I enslaved your family, I didn't think it would be enough."

Valerie has a family. Wife and child, one man and two daughters. Selling all of this as slaves would not be one of those expensive illegal slaves. Otto, a slaver, knows that.

"... ok"

Wallery understood correctly what Otto dared to say about what he knew.

"Don't worry, I won't imitate you suddenly throwing it out on the street. Please take over, and I will pay you with less salary in between. Besides, if you don't mind, I was wondering if you could work for me as a member of my Chamber of Commerce."

"... sorry"

It's hard to start over without losing your property and your commercial rights. In that case, we'll have to work somewhere. Otto's offer was thankful to Wallery.

Thus, one chamber of commerce of the Otto Chamber of Commerce series was created in the country of the Ruthua Empire. Using this as its starting point, the Otto Chamber of Commerce will expand its forces in the Ruthua Empire's own country in the shadows.

◇ ◇ ◇

Otto had discussions with Wallery, the same city back street as that. That, too, was pretty deep down, and there was a commotion rolling in.

Even when it comes to disturbances, most of the city's residents never know about it. This is the backtown of the city, the area controlled by the people of the backing society. Even if a noise occurs in such a place, it will not appear on the table.

"Shit, chip. Where the hell is that?

Regrettably complaining is the head of the organization that divides this district.

All of a sudden, the unidentified came attacking Azit. Totally unexpected, the chief's organization was quickly being pushed.

This city has already ended decades ago, such as a feud between organizations. It wasn't just the alarm at the absence of hostile forces that allowed the ambush, it was due to the overwhelmingly low number of operatives who were supposed to be based there now.

"What do you want to do? Not like this..."

One of my men has asked the chief with a trembling voice. There are about ten people around the length right now. We do not know exactly how many enemies we have, but it is clear that this is many times as many.

The loss is already visible.

"... more so at a time like this. If only we hadn't exposed ourselves to all this."

Coming out of the chief's mouth is a cry, not an answer to a subordinate's question. There's just a reason I want to say a cry.

Originally, this organization had about fifty constituents. But more than half of them were asked to kill at work last month.

He hastily moved to secure the lost personnel, but the kind of people who work in the back society are in the organization from scratch. Reaching out to other cities. But if I didn't, I wouldn't have found it, but that's like putting a little bit out on that city organization.

It wasn't something I could do cheaply.

But now the chief regrets it. If I had the original number, this wouldn't have happened.

This is a big mistake. Even if fifty is a hundred, if they are willing to, they still lose. Because that's the only organization that has the power to attack.

"Shit, I'm here!

The door to the entrance to the room trembles loudly. I was stacking something that was in the room in front of the door anyway, like a desk or a couch, to keep it out of the room, but it was pushed from the outside, and it was going to push me in.

"Become, what are you blurring about! Hold the entrance! Never let him in!

Doing so does not fundamentally solve the present situation. I'm just buying time. But that's all I can do anymore.

But even that was futile.

"What...?

A surprised, bewildered voice leaks out of someone's mouth.

Several shadows coming down from the ceiling. One of those men was pierced with a sword from his back.

"... do it, do it!

I guess that's where the head of the organization was able to make this voice. But my men don't. He had completely lost his temper to resist, kneeling on the spot and holding his head.

What I don't want to die for is the same for the chief and his men.

"... are you the head of this organization?

One of the shadows inquired toward the length.

"... what if?

"You have two choices. Tell me everything you honestly know and die, or resist in vain, tell me everything and die?

"... what?

The meaning of a man's words is not immediately understood by the chief. It didn't sound like it was a two option.

"This is rude. It was a bad way of saying it. Which is better, dying easy or suffering?

"Either way, you're not going to die!?

"I can't help it. From now on, this city belongs to our organization. I need you to disappear into the way."

"... who are you?

"I'm sorry, but you're not big enough to know that. I told you. He wants things to disappear."

"Phew, kidding......"

The chief could not answer the man's provocation. I feel a severe impact on my head and I lose my mind as it is.

After the chief fell, Dark's men's dry stood.

"It's too long. Don't take time with such a clutterfish. Let's get this over with, let's get this over with."

"Yes, I'm sorry"

"I don't need such a polite apology. From today on, you're as good as me, the same number. You're standing on top of people. Stay with Dawn more."

"No, but, brother"

Among those numbers, Dry gets in trouble even when they say he's pretty superior, similarly qualified, etc.

"Not my brother, Dry. So, I'm gonna go to my next job, so this city asked for it, huh? Zehizen."

"Yes. I'll do my best"

One spot of stain made in the home country of the Ruthua Empire eventually becomes many points, which becomes the connecting line, and spreads into the surface. Hidden, without most people noticing.

It was a shadow of peace that I thought I had finally visited, and a new battle was beginning.