It seems Colton had grown more attached to us than I thought.
When I mentioned we were leaving, his once-kind face turned as pale as a ghost. He looked as if he'd just been told his lover was leaving him.
"L-leaving? What do you mean, leaving so suddenly?"
"I think Mirabel has developed enough magical skill by now."
"Enough? That girl is destined to become a grand mage! There's still so much for her to learn!"
I know. Technically, she's going to be a great witch, not a grand mage, but details.
But seriously, do you think I'd leave someone as talented as her in your hands? You're just the head of a local association. There are plenty of people out there who would want to take her under their wing. You're just a stop on her journey.
Of course, I couldn't say that out loud. Instead, I buried those thoughts deep and chose different words.
"Haha, there's something more important than that. As her master, I need to help her achieve her goals."
"You mean the revenge you spoke of before?"
"Oh, so you remember! Yes, her father is the reason Mirabel ended up like this. To move forward, she needs to cut ties with her past."
Colton shook his head violently, clearly disagreeing.
"That's not true at all! Revenge only breeds more revenge, and in the end, it's empty. Especially if it means killing her own family—that's something she must never do. Miss Mirabel, don't fall for his manipulation. Come with me, and I'll remove the soul shackles binding you."
Wow, he can do that? I have to give him credit for his magical skills, but that would be a problem for me. If the shackles are removed, Mirabel might be freed against my will.
Caught between us, Mirabel looked unsure. I placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear.
"People love to say that revenge brings nothing but emptiness, that one act of revenge only leads to another."
"That's right—"
I cut off Colton's attempt to butt in.
"But think about it this way, Miss Mirabel. When a mosquito bites you, don't you swat it? Would you just let a pest that stole your blood and left you itching get away?"
"You... swat it?"
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Exactly.
And don't just stop there—tear it apart and mount it on the wall as a trophy!
"Exactly. You swat it. Would you feel hollow afterward? No, you'd feel relieved. Now you can focus on other things without that irritation."
"That's a logical fallacy! A mosquito is not a person, much less her family!"
"It doesn't matter whether it's a person or a pest. What matters is that he caused harm, and Miss Mirabel has been irreparably wounded by his actions. She's simply delivering the appropriate punishment. Isn't it more just that she, as the victim, delivers the verdict herself?"
"Miss Mirabel, don't listen to him!"
"Mirabel isn't wrong here. The fault lies entirely with her father. Do you think he'll suddenly reform just because she spares him? A man who sold his own daughter wouldn't hesitate to sell someone else's. It's her duty to stop him before he hurts others. She's doing the right thing."
I activated my "Master Negotiator" skill in full force, feeding these convincing words straight into Mirabel's ears.
Her desire for revenge was her life's goal. The fact that sweet, kind Mirabel could be so unaffected by the fact that her target was family showed just how deep her wounds were.
Don't try to dismiss her darkness so casually, you mere NPC.
Under the spell of my words, Mirabel finally made her decision. She bowed politely to Colton.
"Thank you for everything you've taught me."
"M-Miss Mirabel?"
Oh, look at that. My Mirabel, always so polite, no matter what.
Colton's face twisted in shock, and then his eyes turned to me, burning with anger. If looks could kill, I'd be dead. His voice, however, was barely controlled.
"I see. So that's how it is. Despite her talents, I can't interfere with her soul. You… you're no mere slave trader. You're a dark mage, aren't you?"
What?
"I'm sure of it now. There's a strange power behind your words. You've been manipulating her mind, haven't you? Miss Mirabel is under some sort of brainwashing spell."
What the hell are you talking about?
Colton, having clearly lost his patience, began casting a spell. Ice crystals formed in the air around him.
"Wait just a little longer, Miss Mirabel. It might take time, but together, I know we can break the spell."
Colton sent the shards of ice flying in my direction, scattering cold air as they flew toward me.
Whoa, I didn't expect him to resort to magic so recklessly. But hey, I've got a hard-trained magical maid witch on my side. Mirabel stepped forward, raising her staff, and a translucent barrier formed in front of us.
Clang!
"What?!"
The ice shattered against the shield, unable to pierce it. While Colton stood there in shock, Mirabel calmly followed up with her own spell.
Fwoosh.
A fireball appeared in the air. Except it wasn't just a fireball—it was more like a meteor, large enough to destroy a building in a single hit.
Fireball or Meteor, it doesn't matter. When a powerful mage casts a spell, it changes. Mirabel aimed her staff at Colton.
I dramatically swung my arm forward.
"Go ahead, Miss Mirabel! Direct attack! Fireball!"
But Mirabel hesitated. She glanced back at me.
"I don't think… it's right to use magic on someone innocent…"
"Ah."
So she's all for killing her father, but not for attacking a random guy. I guess even with my influence, she's got her own unique set of morals.
Well, if she's against it, I can't force her.
"Mr. Colton, out of respect for the kindness you've shown us, we won't harm you. But if you try to stop us again, you'll have to face the consequences."
"Ugh…"
Colton gritted his teeth in frustration.
I'd feel the same in his position. It must be painful to have a kid, barely a month into magic training, invalidate your entire life's work. But that's life.
If Colton were my slave, maybe I'd offer him some sympathy and find a way to help him grow. But I wasn't about to start making male slaves.
"You've done well, Mr. Colton. Thank you for your time."
With those words, we left the Mage Association building, still wary of any surprise attacks. Mirabel didn't lower her staff until we were well out of sight.
"You handled that well. That must have been tense."
It was her first real confrontation, and yet she had handled it perfectly. Colton had taught her well.
I reached out to pat her head, and this time Mirabel didn't resist. She just lowered her head, looking a little shy.
Oh? I'd better take full advantage of this rare opportunity. I stroked her soft, warm hair, enjoying the moment. But I must've gone a bit too far because eventually, she ducked out of reach.
Mirabel quickly tidied up her now-messy hair.
As much as I was disappointed, I decided to be satisfied with this for now. Since she let me once, there would be more chances in the future.
"Where are we headed next?"
"We're going to the nearby city of Delofin."
There's a beginner dungeon there.
Later on, it won't even be worth a glance, but at this early stage, it's the only dungeon I can run efficiently. It's so easy that even a couple of low-level slaves can clear it.
With The Celestial Oath in Mirabel's hands, it'll be a walk in the park.
'We'll gather spellbooks, sell some mana stones, and level up Mirabel.'
The perfect training plan!
"Where do you think you're going, slave trader? Get lost!"
You've got to be kidding me.
I'd heard that the guards here were underpaid, but I didn't expect them to go around trying to rob people. Every soldier I met seemed like a glorified bandit. What kind of knights are these?
In the game, the knight order was always the natural enemy of slave traders.
They would constantly show up to collect taxes. If you couldn't pay, they'd take your slaves as collateral.
I had been robbed by them back in the game, and now here I was, being shaken down again. My opinion of knights couldn't get any lower.
I pulled a gold coin from my pouch. If I keep having to pay 20 gold every time, I'll be broke soon enough. I'd spent way too much trying to show off in front of Mirabel back in Libria.
Being a guard in a rural city, he accepted the coin and let us through without further fuss.
"Let's grab something to eat before we head to the inn."
I had planned on finding lodging first, but I was starving. We took a seat at the largest tavern in Delofin.
I ordered corn bread, lamb steak, and mushroom stew. The food was more than what most commoners could afford, but Mirabel, now used to this lifestyle, ate without hesitation.
Good, eat up. We'll need the energy for the dungeon.
I thought we were going to have a peaceful meal.
Until…
"Julius, how about we grab a drink before heading out?"
"You drank yesterday."
"Yesterday was yesterday, today is today. You've got to have at least one drink a day to keep up your strength!"
That was when a group of clergy walked into the tavern.