Chapter 20
“If Helix goes to investigate that, I’ll end up training alone. I’d rather go together. If I follow along, I’ll probably learn something.”
She added cautiously,
“Let me know if I’d be in the way.”
In truth, she would be in the way.
When Leia was nearby, all of Helix’s attention kept drifting toward her, and he found himself repeatedly checking the ring on his finger to make sure she was safe and nothing had happened.
“Not at all.”
Despite that, Helix firmly denied it and shook his head.
“Really? I can come with you?”
“Of course.”
Out of character, he lied once more and observed her expression.
Seeing Leia smile brightly in delight made his own words feel true.
“Having Leia nearby makes my heartbeat and thoughts feel a bit strange… but…”
That much could be managed with his ironclad rationality as a guardian.
“What matters more is strengthening the contractor’s abilities.”
❀ ❀ ❀
Meanwhile, on a slope of the Hel Mountain Range.
Inside a crudely built shack, the slaver Max was counting the children.
“What is this? Why doesn’t the number match?”
Max shouted in irritation. The bearded man beside him scratched his head.
“One, two, three… Sixteen in total, sir.”
Max snapped angrily.
“Are you an idiot? Why is the one that came yesterday missing?”
Only then did the bearded man hurriedly recount the children in surprise. Sixteen. No matter how many times he counted, it was still sixteen.
“One is missing!”
“Where did it go? Did it escape?”
“I’ve been guarding the door the whole time. How could it possibly escape?”
The bearded man shook his head as if it were nonsense. His massive frame nearly blocked the shack’s entrance.
“Idiot. You don’t realize how clever kids can be…”
The slaver Max glared and began scanning both the shack and the children. The job was almost finished—he couldn’t afford to ruin it now.
The scarred man beside the bearded one spat on the ground with a vile expression.
“Should we proceed with the remaining ones first?”
“We have to find it. Even if one is missing, if that kid goes off and brings back adults, we’re in trouble.”
Max frowned.
‘If this weren’t for Count Trow’s request, I wouldn’t have taken such a job.’
Although he was an experienced slaver, this was the first time he had received such an unsettling commission.
‘Go to a rural area far from the capital and buy children. The North would be ideal—no ruling lord there.’
‘Yes, sir. Since last year’s poor harvest, rural families will sell their children cheaply.’
Buying children from impoverished families trying to reduce their burden was something Max had done many times.
However, what Count Trow said afterward was unbelievable.
‘Gather the children you’ve bought and make them drink this medicine. After three days, bring only those who survive.’
In other words, he was telling him to collect children and poison them.
The instruction to bring only survivors made it clear that most of them would likely die if they drank it.
‘This isn’t even raising slaves—it’s just wasting money to kill them. I can’t understand why he’d do something like that.’
But when had he ever understood the inner thoughts of nobles? He recalled Count Trow’s low, thin voice as he gave the order.
‘Make sure it is done discreetly, without being discovered.’
Max shuddered.
Count Trow was infamous among nobles for his cruelty and underhanded methods.
If it were discovered that he had experimented on children here, the count would cut off Max’s head to bury the rumor.
“Find it quickly!”
“Boss! Over here!”
The scarred man who had been searching the shack pointed to a corner.
A small tunnel, barely large enough for a dog, had been dug, and right in front of it were clear marks where a pottery jar had been placed.
“It seems the clever one dug a tunnel and covered it with a chamber pot.”
Max’s face darkened with rage.
“Catch that brat immediately!”
❀ ❀ ❀
At the same time, Leia and Helix were also searching the Hel Mountain Range.
They had investigated near a contaminated Tigon tree but found nothing unusual.
“No matter how I look at it, I don’t feel any abnormal flow of mana.”
At Leia’s words, Helix nodded.
“I feel the same.”
“Maybe the flower color changed for reasons other than mana? Hydrangeas are known to change color depending on soil conditions.”
“That direction is worth considering.”
As he replied, Helix looked down at Leia intently.
“What?”
“Leia, aren’t you getting a bit tired?”
She flinched.
“…I’m not.”
“Your breathing is slightly heavier. And since you came to sit as soon as you saw the rock, it seems your legs hurt as well.”
“…I’m not that tired.”
Concerned, he took her wrist and checked her pulse.
“How can you have so little stamina?”
“I was weak, but now I’m about average for a noble lady. You’re just too strong, Helix.”
“I can’t believe that.”
Leia let out a long sigh. Helix probably still thought of her as fragile like glass due to his memory of when he first treated her.
“In this state, it would be difficult for you to keep moving around with me. Why don’t you rest while I look around?”
“Ugh…”
She did want to stay with him, but it was true she was somewhat tired.
If she kept going like this, she might interfere with Helix’s investigation. Leia gave up and nodded.
“Alright. I’ll just rest here in the sun.”
“While you’re at it, how about practicing magic breathing?”
“Hey, Master, that’s not appropriate.”
At her serious tone, Helix chuckled.
“So I’m only your master at times like this?”
“Of course.”
Helix pinched the tip of her nose lightly as she nodded firmly.
“Then practice.”
“Ow, I said I’m not doing it.”
After Helix went off to survey the area alone, Leia grumbled and sat cross-legged, beginning breathing exercises to sense mana.
“Phew. I think I’m such a diligent student. At this rate, I might become a great mage instantly.”
Even as she muttered, it wasn’t as fun without Helix’s constant teasing.
Guess she really should train properly. She straightened her posture.
“…Hoo.”
Her inhaling and exhaling gradually slowed. Her head began to droop forward.
The early autumn afternoon air was still warm, and the sunlight was pleasant, making her drowsy.
Rustle.
“Hm?”
Half-asleep, she straightened up at the faint sound.
Did I mishear?
Rustle.
There was definitely movement.
Her drowsiness vanished instantly. Leia held her breath and looked around.
Then—
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the bushes in front of her parted, and something dark jumped out.
“Eek!”
“Eyaaah!”
At Leia’s scream, the figure also shrieked in surprise and fell back.
…A person?
It had moved so fast she thought it was a deer, but it was a human. She placed a hand on her chest in relief.
…A child?
Probably around ten years old? The small boy gasped for breath and looked up at her.
His face and body were covered in scratches from branches. He must have been running through rough terrain without a proper path.
“P-please help me!”
“What do you mean?”
At Leia’s question, the child shook his head. There was no time for explanations.
His urgency made Leia tense as well.
“Tell me. How can I help? What’s going on?”
“Please stop the men!”
“The men?”
The child nodded quickly.
“They… they’re saying they’ll give medicine to the kids! They said it will kill them!”
“What?”
❀ ❀ ❀
After pressing and calming the child, the story she heard was shocking.
The boy’s name was Phil, a shepherd from a nearby village. A few days ago, he had been sold to some men who suddenly appeared in the village buying children.
“…Slavers?”
Leia murmured.
Officially, the Peyron Kingdom had no slaves, but in reality, slave trading still existed covertly. Typically, children from poor families were bought cheaply and sold to the Oken Empire, where slavery was institutionalized.
But something was odd.
Even with a poor reputation, it made little sense for slavers to come all the way to remote northern regions to buy children.
“So what did those men do to you?”
Phil’s continued story was even stranger.
He had many siblings, and when he resisted being sold, he ran into the mountains. Eventually, he was caught and brought in later than the other children.
The children who had arrived a day earlier had already become like sickly, frail birds.
Phil had grown up among many siblings and worked as a shepherd since he was very young, so he was quick-witted. He had hidden the food and water given by the slavers and pretended to be asleep like the others.
Believing all the children were asleep, the slavers talked.
“Once we bring one more child, we’ll proceed. Prepare the medicine.”
“They said it kills them all?”
“Most of them die. We’re to observe them for three days, and bring only those who survive.”
“Damn it, we have to stay here for three more days?”
“What about the bodies?”
“Burn them.”
“What?”
Leia’s eyes widened.
“They give the children medicine, and if they die, they burn them?”
Phil nodded vigorously.
“I heard it clearly!”
Leia pondered.
It sounded absurd that slavers would deliberately kill children they had paid for. But for a runaway child to fabricate such a detailed story seemed unlikely.
“So the other children are still there?”
“Yes.”
Phil nodded, looking discouraged. Leia studied his expression and fell into deep thought. If there was even a chance his story was true, this was serious.
She needed to check.
If the children are in danger, there’s no harm in going to look. Just a quick peek wouldn’t hurt, right?
She glanced toward the mountain where Helix had gone.
If needed, I can use magic. Since they’re supposedly giving the kids some strange medicine, I should go check immediately.
Having made her decision, she asked:
“Phil, can you guide me to that slaver’s shack?”
❀ ❀ ❀
Rustle.
From near the rocks where Leia had left with Phil, a man emerged through the bushes.
It was the spy Karai, who had been following Leia.
‘They’re buying children and giving them medicine?’
