Welst's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
"You made Beloukas a slave."
"Yes."
"Beloukas. The slave trader."
"The same."
"The man who ran one of the largest slave operations in—"
Noritoshi nodded calmly. "I think that's the one."
Welst's pressed both hands to his temples. "I—you—how—" He gave up on forming coherent questions and simply stared at Noritoshi with an expression of utter bewilderment.
Kairn tilted her head, glancing between them. "Wait, I'm missing something. Yes, Beloukas is a major player, but... is this really that shocking? He's just one slave trader among many, right?"
Welst made a sound. It was small—barely a wheeze—but it drew every eye in the group.
The educated noble, the Magic Academy graduate who always had a measured response and a diplomatic answer for everything, was standing with his face slowly draining of color. His hands had fallen limp at his sides. His eyes were fixed on Noritoshi with an expression that bordered on reverence. Or terror. Or both.
"Just one slave trader?" Welst's voice came out strangled. "Kairn. Kairn, no. No, no, no."
Rojeel frowned. "What? He's rich, sure, but—"
"But nothing." Welst cut him off, his composure shattering in real time. "Do you have any idea—" He stopped, swallowed, started again. "Beloukas doesn't just run a slave operation. He runs the slave operation. In the entire kingdom of Melromarc, he holds the biggest monopoly on slave trading."
Kairn's confident expression flickered. "The biggest?"
"The biggest." Welst stressed each word. "His network spans the entire country. Every major noble house that deals in slaves? They deal with Beloukas. Every merchant caravan that transports slaves between cities? They answer to Beloukas. Every back-alley auction, every discreet transaction, every slave brand burned into flesh from the capital to the border towns—" He waved his hands wildly, a gesture so unlike his usual measured demeanor that even Rojeel's eyes widened. "—it all flows through him. Through his organization. Through his information network."
Silence fell over the group.
A different kind of silence this time. Heavier. More significant.
Kairn's spear dipped toward the ground as her grip loosened. "You're saying..."
"I'm saying that the Bow Hero just made himself—" Welst stopped. Turned to Noritoshi with dawning horror. "Wait. You said 'inheriting a slave empire.' You didn't mean—you can't possibly mean—"
Noritoshi's expression remained perfectly calm. Perfectly neutral.
"Every contract," he said quietly. "Every business relationship. Every informant. Every ledger documenting which nobles buy which slaves for which purposes." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "Yes. All of it."
Rojeel's axe shifted on his shoulder. For once, his deadpan expression had been replaced by something approaching genuine bewilderment.
"So... we own slaves now?"
"No." Noritoshi's voice was firm. "We own a slave trader. There's a difference."
Kairn found her voice again, though it came out rougher than usual. "That's... that's not how most people would see it."
"I'm aware." Noritoshi met her gaze steadily. "But I'm not most people."
Naofumi, who had been silently processing this avalanche of information, finally spoke. His voice was hoarse.
"How... how did this even happen?" He ran a hand through his hair, trying to make the pieces fit. "And somehow, I feel like it's all a little too easy. If he's the biggest slave trader in the entire kingdom, surely he would've had more escort guarding him, no?"
Myne found her voice, though it came out slightly strangled in a way that Naofumi couldn't quite identify. Excitement, maybe? Shock? A mixture of both?
"He... offered Beloukas a choice." She gestured vaguely at the fog behind her. "Become a slave to one of the Heroes or..." She trailed off, apparently unable or unwilling to finish the sentence.
"Or die," Noritoshi supplied helpfully. His tone carried all the gravity of someone discussing the weather. "I gave him options. He chose the less final one."
Kairn stepped forward, her spear resting across her shoulders as she considered this information. "It's already a big deal that he had three battle slaves that have Classed Up. That's not nothing—most nobles would kill for even one Class Up fighter in their personal guard." She paused, thinking. "I bet if there were more, the Crown—or anyone with real power, really—would begin to view him as a threat. Can't have a merchant rivaling the nobility in military strength, after all. Am I right?"
A new voice answered from the fog.
"Quite knowledgeable for a street rat."
Beloukas emerged from the swirling mist, his top hat somehow still perched on his head despite everything. He looked disheveled—his clothes wrinkled, his composure cracked—but there was something in his eyes that hadn't been there before. Calculation. Assessment. The look of a man already adapting to new circumstances.
Kairn's eyes narrowed to slits. "Well, we pick up whatever scraps there are to find." Her voice carried an edge that could cut glass. "If we're lucky, we can get wisdom too. Unlike some people who apparently can't hold onto their empire."
Beloukas's lips twitched—not quite a smile, but close. Before he could respond, Kairn pressed forward.
"But still." She turned back to Noritoshi, genuine curiosity in her voice. "He just... agreed? Just like that? Beloukas? The man who's spent decades building his operation from the shadows?"
"He agreed after I explained the alternative." Noritoshi's voice carried no pride in the statement. Just fact. "He's not happy about it. But he's alive."
Beloukas let out a sound that might have been a laugh if it hadn't been so hollow. "Not happy about this?" He adjusted his top hat with practiced dignity. "That's an understatement. But it's better this way." He looked at the gathered group—Kairn with her spear, Welst with his calculating eyes, Rojeel with his massive axe, Naofumi with his guarded expression, and finally Noritoshi with his unreadable calm.
"I shall consider this one of my riskier investments." Beloukas spread his hands as if presenting a business proposal. "After all, I am now siding with the Legendary Heroes. Surely I will gain something in the future."
Naofumi stared at him. "You're treating slavery as an investment."
"I treat everything as an investment." Beloukas met his gaze without flinching. "It's how I built my empire. It's how I'll survive losing it." He paused. "And who knows? Perhaps being owned by a Hero who actually cares about slaves isn't the worst outcome. At least I'm not dead."
Welst cleared his throat, drawing attention. "Forgive me, but... the logistics of this. Legally speaking, how does ownership transfer work? And more importantly—" He glanced at Naofumi. "—who exactly owns him now?"
All eyes turned to Noritoshi.
The Bow Hero's expression remained perfectly neutral. "That's actually why I asked the question."
He turned to Naofumi.
"I thought you might want the job."
Naofumi blinked. "You want me to—" He stopped. Started again. "You're offering to give me control of the biggest slave empire in the kingdom?"
"Control is a strong word." Noritoshi shrugged. "Ownership is more accurate. Legally speaking, Beloukas is property. Slaves need owners. And I thought..." He tilted his head, considering. "You might have more use for his information network than I would."
Silence descended.
Beloukas's eyes widened slightly—the first crack in his composed facade since emerging from the fog. "Wait. You're giving me to the Shield Hero?"
"Is there a problem with that?" Noritoshi's voice was soft, but something in it made Beloukas straighten immediately.
"No. No problem." The slave trader's voice was carefully neutral. "Just... unexpected."
Kairn exchanged a glance with Welst. Rojeel's grip on his axe tightened.
Naofumi stared at Noritoshi for a long, searching moment. The fog curled between them, muffling the distant sounds of the city. Everyone else had fallen back slightly—Kairn, Welst, Rojeel, even Myne and Beloukas—giving the two Heroes a moment of semi-privacy.
"Why?" The question came out quieter than Naofumi intended. Barely more than a breath.
Noritoshi smiled—that small, genuine smile that appeared so rarely. The one that had nothing to do with battle or strategy or the cold calculation that usually lived behind his eyes.
"Because you're my friend now. And friends help each other."
He paused, glancing toward the fog where Beloukas waited. When he spoke again, his voice was thoughtful. Measured.
"But also... I thought about it carefully. Really considered who would be best suited for this role. And I think you're the person most suited for it."
Naofumi blinked. "Me?" He shook his head, disbelief coloring his voice. "Motoyasu—okay, no, it's impossible for him. He'd probably try to 'reform' the slave trade by buying every slave and setting them free, which sounds noble but would just collapse the whole operation and accomplish nothing." A humorless laugh. "But Ren? Ren could do a good job, right? He's smart. Level-headed. He could definitely handle something like this."
Noritoshi tilted his head, considering. "There's some truth to that. But I don't agree."
"Why not?"
"Because Ren is... standoffish." Noritoshi chose the word carefully. "He keeps people at a distance. That works fine for an adventurer—you don't need to be close to your party to fight effectively. But running an intelligence network? That requires building relationships. Earning trust. Making people want to share information with you." He shook his head slowly. "Ren would treat it like a mission. He'd be efficient, probably effective, but people would never fully open up to him. And that would limit his effectiveness."
Naofumi frowned. "And you? You could definitely do a better job than me."
"Some truth to that as well." Noritoshi's smile turned wry. "I could do the job. I'm comfortable with manipulation, with information gathering, with playing the long game. But—" He held up a hand. "—I don't need it as much as you do."
Naofumi's frown deepened. "What do you mean?"
Noritoshi's expression grew serious. "Think about your role, Naofumi. You're the Shield Hero. Your entire combat style is built around defense, around taking hits that would kill anyone else, around protecting your party and letting them deal damage." He paused. "But you have no attack stats. None. In a straight fight against any serious threat, you're completely dependent on your party to actually kill things."
"I know that."
"Then you also know that your value lies elsewhere. In tactics. In strategy. In keeping people alive long enough to win." Noritoshi's voice was intense now. "An intelligence network plays to your strengths. Information lets you plan. Lets you anticipate. Lets you put your people exactly where they need to be before the enemy even knows there's a fight coming." He leaned forward slightly. "This isn't charity, Naofumi. This is me recognizing that you're better suited to use this tool than I am."
Naofumi opened his mouth to argue. Noritoshi cut him off.
"And there's something else."
He glanced back at the group—at Kairn and Welst and Rojeel, at Myne hovering nearby, at Beloukas waiting with forced patience. When he spoke again, his voice was lower. Private.
"I don't know why. I don't have proof. But the elites of this kingdom—the nobles, the Crown, whoever's really pulling strings—they seem to have enmity toward you. Not Naofumi the person, necessarily, but the Shield Hero. The position itself."
Naofumi's jaw tightened. "You noticed that too, huh?"
"I noticed." Noritoshi's eyes were hard. "And that commotion I caused in the castle? The scene I made when no one would join you?" A slight shake of his head. "That painted a target on both of us. But you especially. I can handle whatever comes—I have my techniques, my experience, my ability to fight. Motoyasu and Ren aren't even being targeted right now. They can walk through the capital without anyone giving them a second glance."
He met Naofumi's eyes directly.
"But you? If left alone without resources, without allies, without some kind of leverage..." He trailed off, letting the implication hang.
Naofumi finished the thought. "I'd be vulnerable."
"More than vulnerable." Noritoshi's voice was quiet but fierce. "I'm worried about your safety, Naofumi. Not your ability to fight—you're tougher than anyone gives you credit for. But your ability to survive the kind of political warfare that's clearly being waged against the Shield Hero." He gestured vaguely toward where Beloukas stood. "This changes that. This gives you leverage. Information. People who owe you favors. A network that spans the entire kingdom."
He stepped closer, voice dropping to barely a whisper.
"If someone decides to move against you—openly or in the shadows—you'll know before they act. You'll have options. You'll have power."
Naofumi stared at him for a long, silent moment.
"You really thought this through," Naofumi said finally. His voice was rough.
"I told you." Noritoshi's smile returned—small, genuine, warm. "I thought about it carefully."
"I... don't know what to say."
"Say you'll take the job." Noritoshi clapped him on the shoulder. "Say you'll use this to protect yourself, to protect your people, to protect anyone else this rotten system tries to crush." He paused. "And say you'll let me help. Because that's what friends do."
Naofumi's throat tightened. He looked away for a moment, composing himself, before meeting Noritoshi's gaze again.
"Alright." His voice was steady now. Resolute. "Alright. I'll do it."
Noritoshi nodded once. Satisfied.
But he didn't move away. Instead, his expression shifted—something almost playful flickering behind his eyes.
"Good. Because I do have one small request."
Naofumi's guard immediately went up. "Here it comes. The catch."
"No catch." Noritoshi's smile widened slightly. "Just... mutual benefit. You'll have the largest intelligence network in the kingdom at your fingertips. I was hoping you might share."
"Share?"
"Information." Noritoshi gestured vaguely. "You'll know things. About nobles, about merchants, about movements in the capital and beyond. I'd like to know them too." He paused. "And Motoyasu and Ren too. Mainly to make sure they don't do anything stupid."
Naofumi raised an eyebrow. "You want me to be your informant?"
"Yes. That's correct."
Naofumi stared at him for a beat. Then he laughed—a real laugh, surprising even himself.
"Hahaha. Even if you hadn't asked, I would've done that already." He shook his head, still grinning. "I know what you're aiming for. The moment you said I was the one to be Beloukas's owner, I figured it out."
Noritoshi's expression shifted—surprise, then something warmer. "I suppose that's right." He paused, choosing his next words carefully. "Naofumi. This is the first real piece of power any of the Heroes have had in this world. Not levels. Not stats. Not equipment handed to us by a kingdom that clearly doesn't have our best interests at heart." He met Naofumi's eyes. "Real power."
The fog curled between them. Naofumi said nothing, waiting.
"So I'm sorry." Noritoshi's voice was quiet but earnest. "I'm sorry for putting such a heavy burden on you. But I expect you to become the foundation of power in this world for all of us." He gestured vaguely—at the fog, at the city beyond, at everything they couldn't see but knew was there. "Become something solid. Something we can count on. Like a safety net that would catch us if we mess up along the way."
Naofumi was quiet for a long moment.
The weight of it settled on his shoulders. Not crushing—not yet—but present. Real. The kind of weight that came with responsibility, not obligation.
"That's a lot to put on one guy," he said finally.
"I know." Noritoshi didn't look away. "That's why I'm asking. Not ordering. Not expecting. Asking."
"And if I say no?"
"Then I figure something else out." Noritoshi shrugged. "But I'd rather do this together. Like I said." A small smile. "Friends help each other."
Naofumi studied him. This man who had arrived in this world the same as him, who had no more reason to trust anyone than he did, who was standing here in the fog offering him the keys to a kingdom of information and asking him to be something more.
"You're really bad at asking for favors, you know that?" Naofumi's voice was rough, but there was warmth underneath. "All that 'foundation of power' and 'safety net' talk. Just say you need me."
Noritoshi's lips twitched. "I need you."
"See? Was that so hard?"
"Insufferable."
They stood there for a moment, two Heroes from another world, grinning at each other.
Then Naofumi's laugh cut through the mist—genuine, surprised out of him.
"Hahahaha, that's really creepy somehow." He wiped at his eyes, still chuckling. "What is this? A Showa Era BL manga? Are we about to have a dramatic gaze into each other's souls while cherry blossoms fall in the background?"
Noritoshi's expression shifted into something theatrically wounded. "Am I not charming enough for you, Naofumi?" He pressed a hand to his chest in mock offense. "Here I am, pouring my heart out, offering you the keys to a slave empire, admitting I need you—and this is the thanks I get?"
"The keys to a slave empire," Naofumi repeated flatly. "Real romantic. Every girl's dream."
"I'll have you know I'm quite the catch." Noritoshi adjusted an imaginary collar. "Mysterious. Powerful. Emotionally unavailable until exactly the right dramatic moment. The ladies love it."
"The ladies, huh?" Naofumi's eyebrow arched. "And here I thought we were having a moment."
Noritoshi paused. Considered. "Fair point. The gentlemen love it too. I'm an equal opportunity heartthrob."
Naofumi snorted so hard he nearly choked. "Heartthrob. You. With that resting murder face you do?"
"It's called brooding intensity. Very fashionable."
"It's called 'I'm about to commit multiple war crimes.'"
"Tomato, tomahto."
Behind them, Beloukas's voice drifted through the fog with the weary resignation of a man who had long ago given up on understanding Heroes.
"They're still going, aren't they."
Kairn's response was flat. "Yep."
"How much longer, do you think?"
Welst sighed. "Hard to say. This seems... important to them. In a deeply confusing way."
Rojeel grunted. "They're bonding. Let them bond."
Myne, still caught between shock and excitement, whispered, "Is this what Heroes normally do?"
"I sure hope not," Kairn, Welst, and Rojeel said in unison.
Back in their semi-private bubble, Noritoshi had regained his composure—mostly. The smile lingered at the corners of his mouth.
"Seriously though." His voice softened. "Thank you. For trusting me. For agreeing to this."
Naofumi's expression sobered slightly. "Thank you for trusting me. Most people wouldn't hand over something like this."
"Most people aren't my friend." Noritoshi shrugged. "And most people aren't you."
"That's..." Naofumi looked away, suddenly uncomfortable with the sincerity. "That's disgustingly sweet. Stop it."
"Never." Noritoshi's said stone faced.
They stared at each other for a beat. Then both cracked smiles again.
Beloukas's voice carried through the mist, heavy with resignation.
"If you two are quite finished with your touching moment, my office has a fireplace and actual chairs. Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere less exposed to the elements?" He glanced pointedly at the fog-shrouded alleyways. "And to potential eavesdroppers? Shadows have ears, as they say. My place is secure." A pause. "And apparently still mine to offer, for now."
Noritoshi didn't turn. Didn't acknowledge Beloukas directly. But something shifted in his posture—a subtle tension that hadn't been there a moment before.
"It's not your office anymore."
The words were quiet. Casual. Like he was commenting on the weather.
Beloukas opened his mouth to respond—probably with some sharp retort about ownership and semantics—but the words died in his throat.
Crimson markings had begun to bloom across Noritoshi's eyes.
Not the full transformation from the fight—not yet—but enough. Enough to make his irises gleam with that eerie, blood-tinged light. Enough to make his gaze cut through the fog like a blade.
He was staring into the mist. At nothing visible. At everything hidden.
"Besides." His voice dropped lower, carrying a weight that made even Rojeel straighten slightly. "They wouldn't dare."
A beat of silence.
Then another.
The fog shifted. Somewhere in the distance—farther away than before—Naofumi thought he heard the faint scuffle of hurried footsteps retreating.
Beloukas's face had gone pale. "You... you can see them?"
"I can feel their presence from a mile away." Noritoshi's eyes continued to scan the mist, tracking things none of the others could perceive. A thin smile curled his lips—sharp, dangerous, nothing like the warmth from moments ago. "They've been following us since we left the circus grounds. Three of them. Shadows, as you call them."
He finally turned to face Beloukas. The blood markings still glowed faintly in his eyes.
"They're gone now."
Kairn let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "You... you knew they were there the whole time?"
"Of course." Noritoshi's expression softened slightly—back toward human, away from whatever lived behind those crimson-tinged eyes. "I wouldn't have had that conversation out in the open if I didn't know exactly who was listening." He glanced at Naofumi, and there was something almost apologetic in his gaze. "Sorry I didn't tell you. They needed to hear certain things."
Naofumi processed this. "You used us as bait."
"Used them as bait." Noritoshi nodded toward the now-empty fog. "You were just having a conversation with your friend. Their presence was incidental."
Beloukas found his voice again, though it came out rougher than before. "And what, exactly, did you want them to hear?"
Noritoshi's smile didn't fade, but something shifted behind his eyes. Calculation. Adjustment.
"That depends entirely on who sent them, doesn't it?"
Beloukas frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that different listeners will hear different things." Noritoshi gestured vaguely toward the fog where the Shadows had retreated. "If they were working for a noble house, they just witnessed the Bow Hero publicly acknowledging the Shield Hero as the one in charge. They saw camaraderie. Unity. Two Heroes working together."
He paused, letting that sink in.
"If they were Crown's Shadows, they witnessed something else entirely." His voice dropped. "They saw the Bow Hero defer to the Shield Hero. Saw me hand over control of a major intelligence network to the very Hero their doctrine paints as unnecessary. Saw exactly where my loyalties lie."
Beloukas's eyes narrowed. "You're playing both sides."
"I'm letting them interpret what they saw however benefits us most." Noritoshi shrugged. "The information will spread regardless. But what that information means will depend entirely on the listener's biases. Nobles will see an alliance forming. The Crown could see this as an attempt at revolution. The underground will see a power shift. Everyone could interpret this as anything, for there's truly no limit to humans imagination."
He turned to face Naofumi directly.
"And on the surface? Nothing changes. Beloukas still runs his operation. Still makes deals. Still greases palms and collects information. The only difference is that now, when someone tries to dig deeper—when they try to figure out who's really pulling strings—they'll find conflicting reports. Confusion. Uncertainty."
Naofumi studied him for a long moment. "You want them guessing."
"I want them off-balance." Noritoshi's smile returned—sharper now. "A united front of Heroes is concerning enough. But a united front where no one can tell who's really in charge? Where the Shield Hero might be running an intelligence network, or might just be a figurehead, or might be playing a game no one understands yet?" He spread his hands. "That's the kind of uncertainty that makes people hesitate. And hesitation buys us time."
He turned and began walking toward Beloukas, the blood markings fading from his eyes with each step.
"Your office sounds lovely right about now. Lead the way."
Beloukas stared at him for a long moment. Then, slowly, he touched the brim of his top hat.
"This way, Master Noritoshi."
Noritoshi paused. Glanced back. "Not master. Noritoshi is fine." A pause. "And Naofumi is your owner, not me. Remember that."
Beloukas's expression flickered—surprise, then calculation, then something almost like respect. "Of course. This way... Noritoshi."
He turned and led them into the fog.
Naofumi fell into step beside Noritoshi, keeping his voice low. "You knew about the Shadows the whole time?"
"Mm."
"And you didn't think to mention it?"
"What would have been the point?" Noritoshi glanced at him sidelong. "You would have tensed up. Looked around. Given away that we knew. Better to let them listen to exactly what we wanted them to hear."
Naofumi considered this. Hated how much sense it made.
"You're terrifying, you know that?"
"So I've been told." Noritoshi's lips twitched. "Is that your way of saying I'm charming?"
"I'm saying you need therapy."
"Noted. I'll add it to the list."
.
.
.
.
.
.
It was good to finally know. Good to have confirmation.
His blood manipulation ability had increased to an incredible degree.
Manipulating it to semi-harden—just enough to absorb the battle slaves' attacks without wasting energy on full reinforcement. Hardening it completely when striking, turning it to fluid mid-flow, dispersing it into mist that coated every surface within a tens of meter radius. The versatility was staggering. Without the mixed energy—that strange fusion of mana and cursed energy that had been developing since his arrival in this world—he couldn't have hoped to achieve even half of what he'd managed tonight.
The fight with Beloukas's slaves had been the perfect testing ground. And he'd passed. Exceeded expectations, even.
But even so...
Why were those Shadows there?!
Noritoshi kept his expression perfectly neutral as he walked beside Beloukas, following the slave trader through fog-shrouded streets toward whatever office awaited them. His heart, however, was doing something complicated in his chest.
He'd activated his blood technique to look intimidating. To leave an impression. There had been some thugs hanging around the edges of the circus grounds—rough types, probably looking to rob anyone who wandered away from the main crowds—and he'd wanted to scare them off. A little show of power. A reminder that this group wasn't worth targeting.
That was all.
Not Shadows. Not trained operatives working for nobles or the Church or whoever else had an interest in Hero movements. Just... thugs.
Except those Shadows had mistakenly thought that he addressed them.
And now those Shadows—because they were definitely Shadows, he'd felt their lack of presence clearly once they ran away—had been standing there, listening to everything. Every word about Beloukas becoming a slave. Every word about Naofumi inheriting the network. Every word about Noritoshi's plans and intentions and everything.
He'd frozen them with a look. Glared in their direction with blood markings blazing in his eyes. Said, with absolute confidence: "They wouldn't dare."
And they'd run.
Which was good. Excellent, even. It meant his bluff worked.
But...
Last time I met them, I said there would be consequences if I found them tailing me again.
The memory surfaced unbidden. Shortly after the summoning, he'd accidentally caught Shadows following him. He'd cornered them and delivered a very clear message.
Don't follow me or suffer the consequences. Not his exact words but the underlaying threat were clear as day.
Powerful words. Delivered with cold certainty and just enough blood manipulation to make the threat believable.
And now?
Now he'd caught them again. Multiple Shadows, right there in the open. And he'd done... nothing.
Nothing!
He'd glared. He'd made a vaguely ominous statement. He'd let them run away.
That was the opposite of consequences. That was rewarding them with survival.
They're going to think I'm all talk.
Noritoshi's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. Behind his calm exterior, his mind raced through implications. If those Shadows reported back that the Bow Hero made threats but didn't follow through, it would undermine everything. His reputation. His credibility. The carefully constructed image of someone not to be messed with.
He'd worked hard to build that image. The cold stares. The casual displays of power. The absolute certainty in every word. It was armor—armor that kept people guessing, kept them off-balance, kept them from looking too closely at the seventeen-year-old who was absolutely making this up as he went along.
And now that armor had a crack.
Unless...
He replayed the moment in his mind. The way his blood markings had flared. The way his voice had dropped.
"Besides. They wouldn't dare."
He'd said it like a fact. Like an unshakeable truth. Like the very idea of them disobeying him was laughable.
And they'd run.
Maybe... maybe that was enough. Maybe the message wasn't "he doesn't follow through on threats." Maybe the message was "he knows exactly where we are and still lets us leave, which means he's either supremely confident or has plans for us that we don't want to find out about."
Maybe.
Hopefully.
Noritoshi kept walking. Kept his expression neutral. Kept projecting the image of someone completely in control.
Beside him, Beloukas was saying something about the security features of his office. Noritoshi nodded along, making appropriate noises of acknowledgment.
Behind them, Kairn, Welst, Rojeel, and Myne followed in a loose cluster. Naofumi walked slightly apart, his expression thoughtful—probably still processing everything that had happened.
None of them knew.
None of them could know.
Noritoshi had spent his life learning to hide fear. To mask uncertainty. To project confidence even when everything inside was screaming. It was a skill honed through years of Jujutsu High, through missions that could have killed him, through the constant awareness that one mistake could mean death.
This was just another performance.
They ran. That's what matters. They ran, and now they'll report back that the Bow Hero is someone to be feared. Someone not to be crossed.
And if they don't report that... if they report something else...
He'd deal with that when it happened. For now, he had a slave trader to manage, an intelligence network to help Naofumi navigate, and a child's face burned into his memory.
The bandaged toddler. Curled in a cage. Terrified.
That's what matters. Not the Shadows. Not my reputation. That child.
He held onto that thought like a lifeline.
Beloukas's office, when they reached it, was exactly what Noritoshi expected—opulent, secure, and filled with enough antiques to fund a small army. A fire crackled in the hearth. Tea steamed on a side table. Chairs that actually looked comfortable were arranged in a loose semicircle.
Noritoshi settled into one with the ease of someone who belonged there.
"Tea?" Beloukas offered, already moving toward the pot.
"Please."
The others filed in, finding seats. Naofumi dropped into the chair beside Noritoshi with a heavy sigh.
"So," the Shield Hero said quietly. "We're really doing this."
"We're really doing this." Noritoshi accepted a cup of tea from Beloukas, taking a slow sip. It was excellent, of course. "Try the tea. It's good."
Naofumi stared at him. "You're drinking tea. Right now."
"I'm always drinking tea when tea is available." Noritoshi took another sip. "It helps me think."
Behind his calm facade, his mind was still racing.
The Shadows are gone. They're reporting back. Whatever happens next, happens.
For now... tea.
He took another sip.
The tea was excellent—rich and smooth with just a hint of floral undertones. He took a slow sip, letting it warm him.
His eyes, however, weren't on the tea.
They were on Myne.
She'd settled into a chair across from him, accepting her own cup with a grace that seemed almost unconscious. The way her fingers curled around the handle. The precise angle at which she raised it to her lips. The straightness of her spine as she drank, and the careful way she returned the cup to its saucer—exactly centered, with a soft clink that spoke of practice rather than accident.
That's not street rat behavior. That's nobility.
He'd noticed it before, in small ways. The way she carried herself. The vocabulary she used when she wasn't thinking about it. The easy familiarity she'd shown with Welst back at the circus grounds—a noble-born mage who'd attended the Magic Academy.
Maybe she was nobility in hiding. Or maybe she had reasons for keeping her background quiet. Either way, it wasn't his business. Not yet.
He filed the observation away and took another sip.
"The brew is surprisingly good," he said aloud, directing the comment at Beloukas. "I wasn't expecting quality tea from a slave trader's office."
Beloukas's lips twitched. "Even villains appreciate the finer things, Bow Hero."
Myne tilted her head, a teasing smile playing at her lips. "Oh? Are you perhaps a tea connoisseur, Noritoshi? That was quite the appreciative sip."
Noritoshi laughed—a genuine sound, surprised out of him. "Hardly. The tea where I'm from is completely different from this. Different processing methods, different brewing traditions, different flavor profiles entirely." He swirled the cup gently, watching the liquid move. "The only reason I'm familiar with this style is because I'm interested in foreign cultures. I made a point of learning about them."
Naofumi, who had been quietly drinking his own tea, made a face.
"Damn, Mr. Perfect over here." He set his cup down with more force than necessary. "Don't tell me—you can speak foreign languages too, can't you?"
Noritoshi glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. "It's not to the level of a native speaker, but..." He shrugged. "I can speak English clearly enough to hold a conversation. French, too, though my accent is atrocious. And I've been working on Mandarin, but that's going slowly."
Naofumi stared at him.
"You're joking."
"I'm not."
"You're telling me that not only can you fight like a demon, manipulate blood, strategize like a military general, and apparently know everything about tea—you also speak multiple languages?"
"I mean, yes?" Noritoshi's expression was innocent. Too innocent. "Is that unusual?"
Naofumi's eye twitched.
Myne laughed—a bright, musical sound that drew every eye in the room. "Oh, I like him." She leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand. "So not only are you mysterious and powerful, but you're also cultured? A man who appreciates the finer things and can speak multiple languages?" Her eyes sparkled with something that might have been genuine interest or might have been mischief. "Tell me, Noritoshi, is there anything you're not good at?"
"Cooking," Noritoshi said immediately. "I'm absolutely terrible at cooking. I once burned water."
Naofumi snorted. "You burned—how do you burn water?"
"I left it on the stove too long and it all evaporated and then the pot caught fire." Noritoshi's expression was completely serious. "It was a whole thing. My supervisor banned me from the kitchen."
Myne covered her mouth with her hand, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. "That's... that's actually adorable. The terrifying Bow Hero, defeated by a pot of water."
"I prefer to think of it as a learning experience."
"A learning experience that got you banned from the kitchen."
"Details."
Naofumi shook his head, but there was a grin tugging at his lips. "Unbelievable. You're like... a perfect warrior poet who can't boil water."
"That's overselling it." Noritoshi waved a hand dismissively. "I'm not a poet. I've never written a poem in my life."
"Warrior scholar, then."
"Closer. Still overselling though."
Myne's eyes hadn't left Noritoshi since she'd started speaking. There was something in them—curiosity, definitely. Interest, possibly. The kind of look that made Kairn, sitting in the corner, raise a knowing eyebrow at Welst.
"So," Myne said, her voice dropping to something almost conspiratorial, "a man of many talents, humble about most of them, with just one hilarious flaw." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Dangerously attractive combination, that."
Noritoshi blinked. Once. Twice.
"I... thank you?"
"You're welcome." Myne's smile widened. "Now, tell me more about this foreign culture you're so interested in. What else have you studied besides tea and languages?"
Before Noritoshi could respond, Naofumi made a gagging noise.
"Are you two flirting right now? In front of my tea?"
Myne shot him a look of pure innocence. "I have no idea what you mean, Shield Hero. I'm simply making conversation with a fellow tea enthusiast."
"Uh-huh. Sure." Naofumi pointed at Noritoshi with his cup. "And you. Stop being charming. It's disturbing."
Noritoshi raised both hands in surrender. "I'm not trying to be charming. I'm just answering questions."
"That's worse. That's so much worse."
Rojeel, who had been silently observing from his corner, chose this moment to speak.
"He's right. The unintentional ones are always the most dangerous."
Kairn choked on her tea.
Welst hid a smile behind his cup.
Beloukas, for his part, simply watched the exchange with the expression of a man whose entire understanding of Heroes had been thoroughly demolished in the past hour.
Myne, completely unbothered by the attention, turned back to Noritoshi. "Ignore them. They're jealous." She picked up her tea again, taking a delicate sip. "Now. Where were we?"
"Excuse me." Beloukas's voice cut through the banter like a blade. He'd been standing by the fireplace, tea untouched, watching the exchange with growing impatience. Now he stepped forward, adjusting his top hat with exaggerated dignity. "Don't you think we have something very important to discuss right now? Something about... oh, I don't know—my entire life and empire being handed over to strangers?"
The room fell silent.
Noritoshi straightened in his chair, setting his tea cup down with a soft clink. "Ah. That's right." He glanced at Myne, then at the others, a flicker of something almost like gratitude in his eyes. "I apologize. Let's start now."
Myne smiled knowingly but said nothing, settling back into her chair with her tea. Her eyes, however, remained fixed on Noritoshi with an expression that suggested she found the entire situation thoroughly entertaining.
Beloukas moved to the center of the room, his composure slowly returning now that the topic had shifted to business. He adjusted his cuffs, straightened his waistcoat, and fixed the group with a look of barely contained exasperation.
"Good." His voice carried the weight of a man who had spent decades commanding attention. "Because as amusing as it is to watch young people flirt, I'd rather not have to wait an hour for you two to finish."
Noritoshi opened his mouth—probably to protest—but Beloukas held up a hand.
"Oh, and what I mean by 'finish' is the flirting, of course." His lips curled into something that was definitely not a friendly smile. "Unless you're talking about the other kind of finish." He gestured lazily toward a door at the back of the office. "In which case, by all means, go back there. There's a bedroom. I haven't cleaned it up since this morning, but it should still be good to use."
Silence.
Absolute, utter silence.
Then Kairn choked. Actually choked—tea spraying from her lips as she lunged for a napkin.
Rojeel's stoic mask cracked so hard it practically shattered. His shoulders shook with suppressed laughter, his normally deadpan expression twisted into something that looked almost painful.
Welst, for his part, simply closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Beloukas. Please."
"What? I'm being accommodating." The slave trader's innocence was so obviously fake it circled back around to genuine comedy. "They're young. They have... urges. Far be it from me to stand in the way of—"
"Beloukas." Noritoshi's voice was flat. Dangerously flat. But there was a faint flush creeping up his neck that completely undermined any attempt at intimidation.
"What?" Beloukas spread his hands. "I'm just saying, if you're going to keep making eyes at each other over tea, at least do it somewhere I don't have to watch. I'm a businessman, not a matchmaker."
Myne, to her credit, took it in stride. She set her tea cup down with exquisite precision and fixed Beloukas with a look of pure innocence.
"I have no idea what you're implying. Noritoshi and I were simply having a conversation about tea."
"Uh-huh." Beloukas's eyebrow arched. "And the part where you called him 'dangerously attractive'? Was that about the tea as well?"
"That was cultural observation."
"Of course it was."
Kairn, having recovered from her choking fit, was now grinning openly. "You know, Beloukas, I think I like you better as a slave. You're funnier."
"I'm not a slave yet. Legally speaking, the transfer hasn't been—"
"You're a slave," Noritoshi, Naofumi, Kairn, Welst, and Rojeel said in unison.
Beloukas's mouth snapped shut.
Rojeel's laughter finally broke free—a deep, rumbling sound that filled the room. "His face. Look at his face."
Welst was smiling despite himself. "I have to admit, watching Beloukas get outmaneuvered is... satisfying."
Naofumi, who had been quietly enjoying the chaos, chose this moment to add fuel to the fire. "So, Noritoshi. You and Myne, huh? Should we leave you two alone?"
Noritoshi's eye twitched. "Naofumi."
"I'm just saying." Naofumi's grin was insufferable. "Beloukas offered a bedroom. Seems rude not to at least consider it."
"I will end you."
"With what? Your deadly tea knowledge?"
Kairn howled with laughter. Even Welst let out an undignified snort.
Myne, completely unbothered, patted the chair beside her. "Don't worry, Noritoshi. I'll protect you from their cruel teasing."
"That's somehow worse."
"Is it?" She batted her eyelashes innocently.
"Ugghhh..."
Noritoshi ignored them all, focusing on Beloukas. "Then let's be clear about the arrangement. On paper, legally, you are now Naofumi's slave. All your assets—every contract, every property, every business relationship—now belong to him."
Beloukas's jaw tightened as he heard that, his sly demeanor changing into seriousness, and he nodded.
"However." Noritoshi held up a finger. "Naofumi is smart. Smarter than most people give him credit for. But he's still new to this world. Inexperienced in the kind of political and economic maneuvering you've spent decades mastering."
Beloukas's eyes narrowed. "What exactly are you suggesting?"
"That you'll still hold the reins. For now."
Naofumi shot upright in his chair. "What?!"
Noritoshi held up a hand, calming. "Listen. I'm not saying he has no control. I'm saying that if we try to transfer everything overnight—if Beloukas suddenly stops showing up to meetings, stops making deals, stops being the face of his operation—everyone will know something changed. The network crumbles. Information stops flowing. And we lose everything we just gained."
Naofumi's jaw worked, but he didn't interrupt.
"So Beloukas continues operating. Continues being Beloukas. But now he answers to you. Every major decision, every new contract, every piece of information—it comes to you first." Noritoshi met Naofumi's eyes. "You set the standards. You make the rules. He follows them."
Beloukas's expression flickered—respect, maybe, or simply acknowledgment of a pragmatic approach. "That... could work."
"Good." Noritoshi nodded.
Naofumi sat silently for a long moment, processing. Then he stood, moving to face Beloukas directly. When he spoke, his voice was steady. Certain.
"If that's the case, then I'll have four standards that have to be strictly followed when we start up this slavery businesses."
Beloukas raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"
"First." Naofumi held up one finger. "From now on, only true criminals will be accepted as slaves. People who have committed heinous crimes—murder, rape, torture, the kind of things that would get them executed in any decent society. No more innocent people. No more people sold into slavery because of debt or circumstance or someone else's greed."
Beloukas's face went very still.
"Second." A second finger. "The quality of life for every slave in your—my—operation will be raised to something humane. Decent food. Clean bedding. Medical care. Actual living conditions, not whatever that circus tent was."
Kairn leaned forward, interest sharpening in her eyes.
"Third." Naofumi's voice didn't waver. "Every slave gets education. Trade schools. Something to learn. So that if—when—they're freed, they have skills. They have options. They're not just thrown out into the world with nothing."
Welst's eyebrows climbed toward his hairline.
"Fourth." A fourth finger. "When we sell slaves—and I hate that we have to, but I understand we need to keep up appearances—we only sell to people who pass a background check. No one with a history of harming servants. No one who mistreats their slaves. No one with racist ideologies or any other red flags." He paused. "If they fail the check, they don't buy. Period."
The room was utterly silent.
Beloukas stared at Naofumi like he'd grown a second head. His mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
"A moment ago," the slave trader finally managed, his voice strangled, "weren't you the one who said you would never own another person? Back at the circus, you made it very clear how you felt about slavery."
Naofumi met his gaze without flinching.
"That was before."
"Before what?"
"Before I understood."
Kairn leaned forward. "Understood what?"
Naofumi didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned to Noritoshi—meeting his eyes across the room with an expression that held something new. Something like recognition.
"This is your end goal, isn't it?" Naofumi's voice was quiet but certain. "All of this. The network. The information. The slow, careful work of changing things from the inside." He paused. "It's to abolish slavery entirely."
Noritoshi's expression didn't change. But something in his eyes shifted—a flicker of surprise, quickly masked.
"You figured that out."
"It wasn't hard." Naofumi shrugged. "You're not the type to settle for half measures. You wouldn't go through all this trouble just to become a better slave master." He held Noritoshi's gaze. "You want to tear the whole system down. And you're building the tools to do it."
Silence stretched.
Then Noritoshi smiled, a genuine one.
"Yeah." His voice was soft. "That's exactly what I want."
Beloukas made a strangled sound. "You—both of you—you're insane. Completely insane. You're talking about destroying the foundation of the economy. The noble houses, the merchants, the—"
"I know." Naofumi cut him off. "And I don't care."
He turned back to Beloukas, stepping closer.
"You asked if I was the one who said I'd never own another person. I did. And I meant it." His voice hardened. "But I know of this one fact. Sometimes you have to put your own hand through the mud if you want to pull them up."
Noritoshi watched the exchange from his chair, tea cooling forgotten in his hands. The fire crackled softly in the hearth. Beloukas had retreated to the sideboard, ostensibly to pour himself a drink but really to observe with the same calculating eyes he'd used to build his empire.
Myne's question hung in the air.
"Why?"
She'd set her tea down, her earlier playfulness completely gone. Her eyes moved between Noritoshi and Naofumi—addressing them both, demanding an answer from both.
"Why any of this?" She gestured vaguely—at them, at the room, at the impossible thing they were attempting. "You've been here two days. Two days. No one's hurt either of you. Not really. You could just... play along. Level up, fight monsters, enjoy being powerful."
She shook her head, genuinely bewildered.
"Instead, Noritoshi planned and manipulated events to get us here. Instead, Naofumi is talking about dismantling a system that's existed for centuries. For people you don't even know." Her voice rose slightly. "Why? What makes you different from every other person with power who's come through this world?"
Noritoshi met her gaze steadily. He could feel Naofumi's attention shift to him, could sense the others waiting for his response.
But it was Naofumi who spoke first.
Naofumi looked at his hand—at the Shield that had been forced into his being just yesterday. He thought about it. Really thought about it.
"It's... simple." His voice was quiet, but it carried. "I was raised to believe that everyone deserves basic dignity. That no one should own another person. That's just... how I think."
He glanced up, meeting their eyes one by one.
"And when I got here and saw how things actually work... it didn't make sense. It still doesn't make sense." He shook his head slowly. "Owning people? Treating them like animals? For what? Profit? Convenience? Tradition?"
He shrugged—a small, helpless gesture.
"I don't have some tragic backstory. I wasn't enslaved. I wasn't tortured." A pause. "I just... think this is wrong. And now I'm in a position to actually do something about it."
He held up his Shield.
"So I'm going to."
Silence.
Noritoshi felt something shift in his chest. Recognition, maybe. Or simply the relief of hearing someone else put words to the same conviction that had been driving him since he'd first seen the cages.
Myne turned to him next. Her eyes demanded an answer.
"And you?"
Noritoshi considered his response carefully. He could give her the polished version—the strategic reasoning, the long-term planning, the calculated risks. That's what people expected from him.
Instead, he told the truth.
A version of it, anyway.
"Back home, I couldn't do much. I was strong, sure." He paused, letting that sink in. "Stronger than most. But I was still one person fighting against systems that had existed for centuries. I could protect people in the moment, but I couldn't change the underlying rot."
His voice dropped. Became something quieter. More intense.
"Here?" He glanced down at his hands—the hands that had just torn through three Class Up battle slaves. The hands that wielded a Legendary Weapon. "I've been granted this Bow. My already considerable strength can be increased to unimaginable realms. More power. More versatility. More reach."
He looked up, meeting Myne's eyes directly.
"Fighting against a system as a one-man army? That's actually possible with this weapon at my side."
The room was quiet.
Noritoshi kept his expression perfectly neutral, perfectly confident. Behind his calm facade, a small part of him winced.
One-man army. Unimaginable realms. Considerable strength.
He was laying it on thick. Intentionally. Because the truth—that he was powerful but not that powerful, that his abilities had limits, that he was still figuring out this mixed energy thing as he went along—wouldn't serve him here.
Let them think he was invincible. Let them believe the Bow Hero could single-handedly challenge armies. Fear and respect were useful tools. And if a little exaggeration helped cement his position...
Well. That was just good strategy.
Myne stared at him. Her expression was unreadable, but something flickered in her eyes. Respect, maybe. Or calculation of her own.
"That confident, are you?"
"I'm realistic." Noritoshi's smile was sharp. "There's a difference."
Myne blinked. "That's... that's weirdly admirable?"
"Is it?" Noritoshi set his tea down, leaning forward slightly. "I have power. Real power. Not just levels or stats, but the ability to actually change things. And every time I see something wrong—every time I see a child in a cage, every time I see someone treated like property—that power feels like an obligation."
He met Myne's eyes directly.
"So I'm not doing this because I'm good. I'm not doing this because I have some noble ideal about dignity and freedom. I'm doing this because I can. And if I have the power to stop something horrible and I choose not to—" He shook his head. "That's not something I can live with."
Myne stared at him. At both of them.
"So Naofumi does it because it's right," she said slowly. "And you do it because you can."
"Apparently." Noritoshi glanced at Naofumi, a small smile tugging at his lips. "We're a matched set."
Naofumi snorted. "Terrifying and idealistic. What a team."
"The best kind."
Kairn broke the silence first. "That's... genuinely the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." But she was smiling.
Naofumi winced. "Thanks?"
"No, I mean—" Kairn shook her head. "—it's ridiculous because it's so simple. So obvious. And yet no one ever says it. No one ever actually means it." She looked between them. "You two really believe that, don't you? All of it."
"I do," Naofumi said.
"Yes," Noritoshi confirmed.
"Huh." Kairn leaned back in her chair, studying them like they were a new species of creature she'd never encountered before. "You know, I've met a lot of people with big ideas about changing the world. They all had speeches. Grand visions. Complicated philosophies." She paused. "You two just have... 'this is wrong' and 'I can fix it.' That's almost disappointing in its simplicity."
"Is that bad?" Noritoshi asked.
"No." Her smile widened. "It's refreshing."
Welst cleared his throat. "If I may—" He glanced at Myne, then back at the Heroes. "You're saying that your entire motivation is based on principles you brought from your world? Not any experience here?"
"For me, yes," Naofumi said.
Noritoshi considered. "Partially. I've also seen enough in this world to know that the rot runs deep. But the foundation—the refusal to accept suffering as inevitable—that came with me."
"And you expect that foundation to hold up against centuries of tradition, entrenched economic interests, and the combined power of the nobility and the Church?"
Naofumi shrugged. "I expect to try. Whether it holds up or not depends on a lot of things." He glanced at Noritoshi. "Including whether we have good people helping us."
Welst nodded slowly. "I see." A pause. "That's either the most naive thing I've ever heard, or the most courageous." Another pause. "I haven't decided which yet."
"Can it be both?" Noritoshi asked.
"Possibly."
Rojeel, who had been silently observing, spoke up. "My sister was sold when I was twelve. Never saw her again." His voice was quiet, but it filled the room. "If you'd told me this two days ago, I would have laughed. Another Hero with big promises and no follow-through." He looked at both of them directly. "But you're not promising anything. You're just saying what you believe. That's different."
"Is it?" Naofumi asked.
"Yeah." Rojeel nodded slowly. "Promises are easy. Belief costs something." He touched the axe leaning against his chair. "I'll follow belief."
Beloukas, who had been watching the exchange with an unreadable expression from his position by the sideboard, finally spoke.
"You realize," he said carefully, "that if you succeed—if you actually manage to change things—you'll make enemies of half the nobility in this kingdom. Maybe more. Foreign kingdom could decide to intervene if they saw you as a threat."
"We know," Noritoshi said.
"The Church won't stand for it. They'll call you heretics. Demons. They'll try to have you killed."
"We know," Naofumi echoed.
"The merchants who profit from slave labor will fight you every step of the way. They'll undermine you, sabotage you, try to destroy your reputation."
Noritoshi met his gaze steadily. "We know."
Beloukas stared at them for a long, searching moment. His eyes moved between the two Heroes—the idealist and the pragmatist, the shield and the bow, somehow united in purpose despite their different reasons.
Then, slowly, he touched the brim of his top hat.
"You're either the bravest men I've ever met," he said quietly, "or the most foolish. I haven't decided which yet." A pause. "But I suppose I'll find out."
Noritoshi almost smiled. "I suppose you will."
Myne, who had been silent since her question, finally found her voice again.
"You both really mean it." It wasn't a question this time. Just wonder. "All of it."
"Yeah," they said in unison.
Myne was quiet for a moment. Then, unexpectedly, she smiled—a genuine smile, nothing like the playful teasing from earlier.
"Good." She picked up her tea again. "Then I'm in too."
Noritoshi blinked. "You—what?"
"You heard me." She took a delicate sip. "Someone needs to make sure you don't get yourselves killed through sheer... whatever this combination is. Might as well be me."
Kairn snorted. "You? The girl who's been making eyes at Noritoshi all night?"
"I can multitask."
Even Rojeel cracked a smile at that.
Noritoshi looked around the room—at this strange collection of people who had, for reasons he still didn't fully understand, decided to believe in them.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "All of you."
Naofumi nodded beside him. "Yeah. Thank you."
"Don't thank us yet." Kairn's voice was warm. "Thank us when we've actually accomplished something."
Noritoshi nodded. "Fair enough."
Beloukas cleared his throat. "If the touching moment is over, perhaps we could discuss the actual logistics of running a slave empire while simultaneously trying to destroy it?" He paused. "I have questions. Many, many questions."
"Let's hear them," Naofumi said.
And they began.
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Well, that's it for today's chapter. I made it more light hearted than all of my chapters so far. Or at least I think it's more light than others. What do you guys think?