Because Elena got kidnapped in the underworld.


    I wasn''t too surprised because I had predicted that word, but the other two had their eyes wide open.


    ''''Nah...!　Elena-san is going to get kidnapped...?


    No.


    When I talked to Nina before, she said something to me.


    Children in the underground city have a hard time surviving there.


    They can''t get food, and even if they could, the adults around them would kill them and take it away from them.


    They will either starve to death or be killed.


    On top of that, children can be kidnapped and disappear.


    Children, such as those with good looks, are kidnapped in order to be enslaved.


    And Nina''s friend who was kidnapped is Elena.


    They are sold into slavery and treated roughly by noblemen and others, and then they die. That''s how a lot of slaves end up.


    ''Wait!　Does the Kingdom of Harzion have slavery!


    Yulina-san asks that with surprise.


    Among the countries of the demon race, the Kingdom of Harzion is very safe and has built a good rapport with the Begonia Kingdom.


    It is natural to be surprised that such a country approves of slavery.


    The law forbids it. But there are places where the law can''t bind them. The underground city is good proof.


    But what kind of a nobleman hires a slave?


    ''Not all the nobles are like that. There are a very few nobles who don''t want to obey the king. And slaves aren''t ''hired'', they''re ''used''.


    Huh...!


    Yulina bites her lip, unable to say anything at the use of the word for slaves.


    It seems that the Begonia Kingdom also had a slavery system in the past, but it was abolished some generations ago due to the harsh treatment of its slaves, and it disappeared completely.


    It seems that the Harzion Kingdom also doesn''t really have a system, but it seems that slaves still exist in the background.


    Yulina-san is an aristocrat, so she may be familiar with the stories there.


    The first thing you can do is to get your hands on a new pair of shoes. But I met her before.


    When was the last time?


    About a week ago.


    A week ago.......that was after that raid.


    Probably after that, you left the Begonia Kingdom and met with him while he was moving to the land of the demon race.


    ''''We hadn''t seen each other there in a long time, and we talked for a bit. That''s how I heard that Eric and Elena knew each other.


    That''s why as soon as you met me, you said, "Find Elena with me".


    Because the last time me and Nina met, we didn''t have a conversation about Elena-san.


    ''Why is Nina looking for Elena-san?　Did something happen to you when we met before?


    If you met him once, talked to him and left him, he wouldn''t try to find you.


    ''I even asked him what he''s doing now I heard he''s still a slave.


    What!　Is Elena-san still being treated like a slave?!


    Yulina-san reacted with wide eyes and Nina nodded somberly.


    ''But as far as treatment goes, it seems to be a bit different from other slaves. As far as the orders are concerned, it seems like we''re guaranteed a life or something.''''


    ''　Could it be that Elena-san came to the Begonia Kingdom as a spy under those orders?


    Well I can''t be sure yet, but it''s not impossible.


    Elena-san called herself an assassin, but I think that''s what she''s doing under orders.


    When I think about it, I can understand why Elena-san looked a little sad when she betrayed him in that battle.


    But Elena-san had said back then that she had "priorities".


    Protecting your own life is a priority?


    Something feels different.


    Then when he came to the Begonia Kingdom as a spy, he could have betrayed us and followed us here and we could have lived as we were.


    You said that a certain "purpose" takes precedence, but what is that?


    As I put my hand to my chin and thought about it, I was thinking that, and then, from next to me, Don!　I heard a loud noise.


    I looked over there in surprise and saw that Yulina-san had buried her fist in the desk where she had placed it.


    ''''.....　I''m sorry, I don''t think I''m going to be able to listen to you calmly I''m going to go out for a bit.


    With blood flowing from her fists, Yulina-san left the house with her sword.


    I looked away from Yulina-san in a daze, but I huffed and stood up.


    ''''Eric, I''ll go.


    I was about to go after him, but Tina told me so.


    I looked at Tina and she made eye contact with me and nodded.


    ''''Well okay, I''ll leave it to you.


    Yes, Eric will exchange information with Nina.


    With that, Tina left the house.