We went to Fermo''s, the slaver''s shop, after that party.


    Yulina had won a bet, and we were rewarded for it with the information we wanted.


    After the party''s entertainment, it was a little tougher.


    The guy I fought was the strongest guy I ever fought, and since I killed him instantly, a huge number of people rushed to me and Yurina-san.


    They asked me to guard my place too, give up that guard, etc.


    When dozens of people came and we were busy dealing with them, we missed Fermo trying to get away.


    Well, Tina was hiding, so she found him quickly and caught him.


    Then I managed to get away from the event and tied Fermo up and walked him to the store.


    At first, Fermo tried to take the long way around, but the slave women who were with him took him the shortest way possible.


    The slave women also laughed thinly when they saw Fermo tied up.


    I didn''t hear how they treated him, but it sounds like Fermo is hated by the slaves.


    Fermo''s shop is ostensibly an ordinary merchant''s shop.


    As soon as you walk in, you can see the merchandise, but it''s really just ordinary goods.


    Rare antiques, weapons and armor from other countries, etc.


    They are all commonplace items that a merchant would be selling.


    ''''........Where do you always keep your slaves?''''


    I ask that in a low voice as I hold the rope binding Fermo''s arms behind me.


    If he hadn''t tried to escape, I would still be speaking in polite language, but there would be no need to mend it anymore.


    ''''U, back....''''


    I followed Fermo''s eyes as he answered that and found a door to a place called the back.


    At first glance, it was just a wall, but after a little exploration, the wall turned like a revolving door.


    When I went to the back, I found several men and women who were being treated as slaves.


    They were in a cage, and it wasn''t the kind of place that would keep a human in, by all accounts.


    ''''Nah, this is.......!


    Oh, God...!


    .........


    Yulina-san and Tina saw the scene and raised their voices.


    Nina even frowned a little, as if she was used to it.


    Even the female slaves who were showing me around were pale, as if they were having a hard time being here.


    I kick Fermo''s back and roll him to the ground.


    ''''Guhee...!


    Fermo fell down with a flourish, unable to take the passive position satisfactorily because his arms were tied behind his back.


    ''I''ve got a lot of questions for you,''


    I put the seriousness that was inserted at my waist on the neck of Fermo, who twisted his body like a minnow and turned towards me.


    ''''Hee........!


    ''I was really only supposed to get the information out of you as an equal, but when you tried to run away, I decided to force you to listen instead of being an equal. It''s your fault, so don''t feel bad about it.


    Even just being a slave trader irritated me.


    If it was a scum that wanted to run away without keeping their promises, it wouldn''t be a problem to treat them messily.


    ''''The first thing I want to ask you is, well how long have you been a slaver?''''


    How could you do that?


    Just answer the question.


    It was five years ago!


    I lightly placed the blade against his neck, and he replied in horror.


    I couldn''t cut even a thin layer of skin just by hitting it.


    But five years ago........


    ''Nina, was it earlier?''


    Yeah, more than ten years ago.


    I checked with Nina about Elena-san.


    It was more than ten years ago that Elena-san was kidnapped and became a slave.


    In other words, Elena-san was never with this guy.


    You said you are a slaver, what position do you hold?　Do you have any horizontal ties to the slavers or anything like that?


    ''Su, I have a few. I''ve been able to get up to this point through a merchant''s connections...!


    Who else has been a slaver for a decade?


    Of course!　Some stores have been around since before slavery in this country ceased to exist!


    The Kingdom of Harzion ceased to have slavery some generations before the current king, so that must have been decades ago.


    That means it''s been around that long, and there are slave shops.


    ''''Where is the country where slavery still exists, in this vicinity?''''


    The Lynda Empire, the Anold Empire, etc...!


    The Lindo Empire that attacked the Begonia Kingdom, and the newly heard land of the demon race, the Anold Empire.


    Elena-san''s birthplace seems to be the underground city of this country, but if you still include the possibility of slavery, is it likely that she is in one of those two countries?


    ''''Do you have a client list of the nobles using your shop in those two countries?''''


    Yeah, I have.


    I''ll look at it later.


    Well, that''s just not...!


    What''s more important than life, and what is it?


    I press the blade against my neck, harder than before.


    If I pull this lightly, there will be blood, but it hasn''t come out yet.


    ''''Hee!　Okay, I get it!　I''ll give it to you!


    But more than that, the coldness of the metal against his skin would increase his fear.


    ''So be it. So much for the slave situation. Also, did you know that rumors have been circulating lately that the royalty of the Kingdom of Begonia is coming to this country?


    Yes, yes, of course.


    So....


    Then I started asking a lot of questions.


    Surprisingly, Fermo had information, and I was able to find out which countries were targeting His Majesty Leo and Christo.


    Thinking I had no more use for them, I finally hit Fermo in the neck with the hilt of my sword and knocked him out.


    This is just sort of. All I can say is that it was annoying.


    ''''Now that I''ve gotten the information out of you, let''s go home.


    What about the slaves here?


    ''''I''m sorry to hear that, but I don''t think we should do anything about it right now.


    We''re here in this country as spies, so we mustn''t cause any trouble and commotion.


    Helping the slaves escape and so on would be a hindrance to our mission.


    ''''Well, yeah...''''


    Yulina''s eyes were downcast and her voice trembled with frustration.


    I can see that the female slaves are visibly depressed, knowing that they can''t be helped either.


    I want to help them too, but I have my priorities.


    There''s nothing I can do if my original mission fails, even if I act emotionally here.


    Yulina sees that the slave women are depressed and grasps one woman''s hand in both of hers.


    ''I''m sorry. I can''t help you guys right now.


    No, I''m fine.


    But I''ll come back for you!　One of these days, for sure!　Just wait until then!


    ''　Yes, yes, I''m waiting for you, Lady Shuna...!


    Yulina hasn''t changed her outfit since the event.


    In other words, she''s still dressed as a man.


    While dressed as a man, she takes the hand of a slave woman and makes an oath, and that woman looks up at Ms. Yulina with moist eyes.


    The slave women who weren''t holding her hand were also looking at Yulina-san with hot eyes.


    ....................I think they are definitely mistaken.


    Maybe Yulina-san is easily liked by the women, after all.