"The owner of Mirabelle? What does that mean?"
Naredi's eyes turn cold as she glares at me.
Although she was not as skilled as Mirabelle, she was still a witch by name, and the aura she exuded was far from ordinary. If it were me, my legs would be shaking like a baby deer.
But who am I?
Even with soul synchronization, I have survived for over a year in a world where dying instantly wouldn't be surprising.
I maintain a relaxed attitude, refusing to be intimidated.
"What is there to explain? It literally means that Mirabelle is a slave and I am her master."
"Are you the slave trader who entrusted Mirabelle to him?"
"That's not entirely wrong. I even received a message from Mr. Harold, asking me to take good care of Mirabelle."
"He...?"
Naredi looks at me in disbelief.
If I were in her shoes, I'd feel the same way. Her daughter, whose fate had been unknown, returned as a slave. And the man standing before her was a certified slave trader. What kind of nonsense was this?
But what could I do? It was the truth.
"More importantly, I feel hungry after climbing the mountain. It looks like you were just preparing a meal. Wouldn't it be okay if I joined you?"
Naredi still watches me with suspicion, but Mirabelle, having managed to control her emotions, intervenes at the right moment.
"Uh, Mom. I'm hungry too. I want to eat the stew you make."
"Oh my, look at me. Mirabelle, it must have been difficult for you, but I was too distracted. Just wait a moment. I'll make you a delicious meal."
Naredi smiles sweetly at Mirabelle, but as soon as her gaze shifts to me, her expression hardens instantly.
"You, sit down first."
"I won't decline."
We sit on wooden chairs.
But then, a problem arises.
"Mirabelle...? Why, why are you sitting there?"
"...Ah."
Sure enough, Mirabelle was sitting on my lap. I had naturally forgotten that her mother was right in front of us.
Naredi is still wary of me. She just reunited with her precious daughter, and now that very daughter is sitting on the lap of a man she doesn't know. It must be unsettling for her as a mother.
Look at her, her eyes are trembling with embarrassment.
It must feel like losing your childhood friend to a hot-headed baseball team member.
I need to diffuse this quickly.
"Haha, it seems that Mirabelle has developed a dependence on me after being alone in a foreign land. Even when I sleep, she refuses to leave my side. What a spoiled brat."
"Even when you sleep...? No way!"
"Don't misunderstand. I swear on the ethics of a slave trader that I haven't done anything improper."
I don't know if a god of slave traders exists, and even if one does, I doubt I'm honorable enough to swear by them, but I do it anyway.
All I ever did was hold her like a bamboo pillow and smell her scent. I'm innocent.
"Anyway, there's no need for that anymore! Now, Mirabelle, don't you want to come to your mother's arms?"
Mirabelle hesitates, fidgeting in my embrace. This is a huge shock to Naredi. She just got her daughter back, yet Mirabelle isn't immediately running to her.
Naredi's expression worsens, as if she were hit by a rock. She shoots me a hostile glare.
It's unfair, but I don't really care. The look of a loser only adds flavor to victory. The corners of my mouth twitch upward in a subtle smirk.
Of course, I quickly wipe it away. Being too smug can backfire.
I let myself enjoy the moment just a little.
"Miss Mirabelle, this is the day you reunite with your mother. Why don't you go to her?"
"Hmm..."
Mirabelle thinks for a moment.
Soon, she stands up and walks toward Naredi, hugging her as if realizing it's the right thing to do.
That delivers another huge shock to Naredi. Mirabelle hadn't listened to her but instantly obeyed me instead. Even though she had clung to me earlier, now she was following my words.
I doubt Naredi liked that.
***
"So, Sister Priest..."
Mirabelle ignores the stew cooling before her and excitedly talks about everything she has been through.
She looks so animated that it's hard to believe she was ever shy. It's as if she's recalling memories of an adventurous trip.
Naredi listens to her daughter with a warm smile.
As the conversation progresses, the way she looks at me subtly changes. If before I was seen as the thief who stole her daughter, I'm now something closer to an unexpected ally.
It's quite the improvement.
'But this stew is really delicious.'
I don't want to interfere in the mother-daughter reunion, so I focus on eating. And it's truly delicious.
Naredi's stew,
This dish even appeared in the game.
It had no in-game effects, but it held great symbolic value, only obtainable after reaching Mirabelle's true ending.
I had never used it in the game. Keeping disposable items as souvenirs was an unspoken rule.
But I never imagined I would get to taste it in real life.
"You sure are eating well. Useless man."
"It's quite delicious. You are an excellent cook, Mother."
"Thank you for the compliment, but who on earth is your mother?"
"I heard from Mirabelle's father that you take good care of her. So, you are my mother too."
Naredi glares at me disapprovingly but remains silent.
After all, I'm the one who saved her daughter and brought her home.
Even if the whole world condemns me, she can't say much about that.
"Mom, are you listening?"
"Of course, dear. I'm listening."
Naredi smiles gently and turns her attention back to Mirabelle.
***
A mountain where night comes early.
Even though the sun had set long ago, Mirabelle's story showed no signs of ending. She spoke so much that I couldn't help but wonder, *How can so many words come out of such a small mouth?*
Naredi, who had been listening intently, was slowly growing tired. In the end, she couldn't hold on any longer and gently scolded Mirabelle.
"Daughter, shall we finish the rest of our story tomorrow? I need to sleep soon. You have to go to bed early if you want to grow taller."
"Eh? Um... I understand."
This was something Mirabelle hadn't heard in a very long time.
She used to think her mother's words were just nagging, but now she realized how precious these small moments of daily life were. I didn't say anything. Of course, this kind of moment wouldn't last forever.
"Where will you sleep?"
"I'll sleep in bed with Mom."
"And me? Do I sleep with you too?"
"This guy… Are you saying something outrageous? *That* person should sleep in the living room."
Mirabelle glanced at Karami with a worried expression. She had grown so used to sleeping beside him that she wasn't sure if she could fall asleep without him.
Karami grinned.
"Why don't you sleep with your mother tonight?"
"Hmm... Okay, I understand."
It had been a while since she last slept with her mother. She could always sleep with Karami again starting tomorrow.
Mother and daughter entered the room.
But not long after, Mirabelle peeked her head out.
"Good night, Master. See you tomorrow."
Karami remained quiet, looking at Mirabelle with somewhat vague eyes.
"Master?"
"You must be tired, Miss Mirabelle. Please sleep well."
"Yes, hehe."
Mirabelle gave a cute smile, waved her hand, and returned to the room.
Naredi laid Mirabelle down and pulled the blanket over her. She lay down beside her daughter and gently patted her.
Mirabelle clutched the blanket up to her neck, her eyes fixed on the ceiling with a big smile.
"Mom, I'm really happy right now."
"Really?"
"Yes. Master is by my side, and I also got to meet you."
"You like that person, your master, so much? He's a slave trader."
Mirabelle smiled brightly and answered without hesitation.
"Master is different from ordinary slave traders. He's a little strange, and he does some strange things... But he hugged me when I cried and always stood by my side, even when others spoke badly of me. He never cared that I was a witch. Aside from you and Dad, he was the first person to accept me."
He had been there for her during the most difficult times in her life.
He had supported her when she felt like she was falling apart.
"An unusual slave trader."
"That's right. He knows so many interesting things. And thanks to him, I got to meet you. Maybe he can help me meet Dad too..."
That was something Naredi was curious about as well.
How did he know where to find her?
How did he know they were in this remote mountain?
He had even promised Mirabelle from the start that she would meet her mother. He had *known*. He had known that Naredi was alive.
*Suspicious... but...*
Regardless of the mystery surrounding him, the fact remained, because of him, she had been reunited with her daughter. For that alone, she owed Karami a debt she could never repay.
"Tomorrow… I'll show you the magic I learned..."
"Alright, I understand, so go to sleep now."
Half-asleep, Mirabelle muttered a few more words before finally drifting into a deep slumber, comforted by her mother's presence.
*Tuk-tuk.*
Naredi kept patting her in a steady rhythm until she was sure Mirabelle was fast asleep. Carefully, she got up, making sure not to wake her.
The old bed creaked, but thankfully, Mirabelle was in such a deep sleep that she didn't stir.
Naredi stepped outside.
The small space that could barely be called a living room was empty, Karami was nowhere to be seen. A cold breeze seeped into the cabin, making it clear that the door had recently been opened and closed.
Stepping outside, she spotted Karami walking down the mountain.
Naredi quickly caught up to him.
"Where are you going at this hour?"
"My business here is done. I should be on my way. I'm a busy man, after all. Oh, and don't worry, I've removed the spell on Miss Mirabelle."
Karami spoke as if he had already made up his mind and didn't slow down. It wasn't until Naredi stepped in front of him, blocking his path, that he finally stopped.
She raised her head and glared at him.
"You're just going to leave Mirabelle behind? A slave trader giving away his slave for nothing? Do you expect me to believe that?"
"I'll say it exactly as it is, I'm a former slave trader. I never do anything that results in a loss. This benefits me too."
"And where exactly are you going?"
"Many places. And... I saw what I wanted to see."
Karami recalled the sight of Mirabelle and Naredi embracing, crying in each other's arms.
He had seen it dozens of times before, yet this was the first time he had *felt* it.
There were things that couldn't be conveyed through a screen. The waves of emotion that struck his soul left a lingering impression.
"So, you don't have to doubt me."
"But if you leave like this, Mirabelle will be disappointed."
"Your family is full of strange people. A father who entrusts his daughter to a slave trader. And you, who stops the slave trader from leaving."
"I can't help it. Mirabelle relies on you a lot."
"That's why I'm leaving now. If I leave during the day, Mirabelle might try to follow me. This is the better option."
"If you say so..."
Karami walked past the hesitant Naredi, raising a hand in farewell without looking back.
"Explain things to Mirabelle however you see fit. I'll leave that to you."
Naredi watched him go, frowning.
"This is the time when demonic beasts and wild animals start roaming."
At her words, Karami suddenly halted, his head tilting slightly before he turned back.
"Do you have any magic? Something to keep wild animals away?"
*
I descended the mountain with Naredi's protective magic wrapped around me.
The lingering scent of a witch clung to me, causing even half-hearted creatures to cower in fear and avoid attacking. By the time I reached the bottom, the magic would have dispersed, leaving no trace. Even if I encountered a priest, there would be no reason for suspicion.
I glanced back at the path I had taken.
A lot had happened. Some things went as expected, others didn't. In the end, things had turned out fine, though there were still areas for improvement.
Watching them struggle had been difficult, but knowing their happy ending was reassuring.
Seeing their smiles at the end washed away my frustrations.
I looked back one last time.
Mirabelle's cabin was no longer in sight. At this distance, even if she woke up, she wouldn't be able to catch up.
There would be no retaliation for being her former master. I didn't think Mirabelle would ever do such a thing, but you never knew what the future held.
"From now on, she needs to live happily with her mother and avoid bad people."
*Perfect!*
I snapped my fingers.
A crisp sound echoed through the mountains.
The shackles that had bound Mirabelle's soul shattered and disappeared.
A status window popped up as confirmation.
[Liberation of the Abandoned Witch, Mirabelle, Completed]
Mirabelle, the abandoned witch.
Mirabelle, born in a small, nameless village, was a cute girl who could be found anywhere in the world. The day the priest came to visit, the girl's life fell off a cliff with no light in sight.
Mirabelle, whose beloved mother died, was abandoned by her father and sold into slavery. She was listed at the Slave Carnival and destined to be sold to a pedophile nobleman. You willingly threw a cord at such a girl.
You entered through the tightly closed door of the heart and pulled Mirabelle, who was crouching in the darkness. Now that the girl who had denied her existence was acknowledged, Mirabelle decided to trust others one more time.
You raised Mirabelle into a witch, resolved the girl's trauma, reached the hidden secret, and safely returned Mirabelle to her family.
Mirabelle realized that she, who was considered abandoned, was a precious daughter loved by her parents and a witch who would bring miracles.
Mirabelle, the abandoned witch.
The girl was not abandoned.
Because she was chosen by you.
Mirabelle's liberation value is 100%.
Compensation: 50,000 points will be paid.
[Soul Shackles] skill is strengthened.
Acquired the new skill [Giving Master].
[Completely free the main slaves. Current figure 1/5]