My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 3

[<Killing Intent> activates.]

“What the hell are you… Ugh!”

“Did you not hear what I said?”

I took a step closer to him, trying to glare as fiercely as possible, but my facial muscles wouldn’t cooperate.

Truly useless. Such a lack of expression control.

“Ugh! Ugh!”

Still, regardless of my expression, it seemed the intensity of the increased, and his body began to twitch.

“Pl-please… ugh!”

The man collapsed onto the floor.

He couldn’t continue speaking. Clutching his throat, he pleaded with his expression.

‘If I leave him like this, he’ll really die. Is my too strong?’

“So weak. You can’t even resist.”

Seriously, shut your mouth.

Don’t provoke me. You’re going to die. I will.

Although my emotions didn’t show, it felt like the intensity of my could be fine-tuned instinctively.

I had heard that the intensity of changes based on magical power. But how much magical power do I actually have? I don’t feel anything at all.

“Ugh!”

As I turned my gaze away, the man finally gasped for air and let out a painful moan.

“Ha… wh-who are you?”

“I don’t care. I’m here for that insect, not you.”

I looked at the fox-eared girl.

As my gaze met hers, she flinched and trembled. Her face showed far more fear than when she was beaten.

“Get away.”

“Y-yes?”

“I said to get away from her.”

“But… she’s my slave—”

‘Talk too much. Seriously.’

“If you speak again, I’ll kill you.”

Turning my gaze back to him, he immediately recoiled.

I stepped closer to the fox girl.

Her red eyes were drowned in fear. It must be because of my .

I looked down at the girl with white hair and fox ears. A white tail was visible near her lower back. It was dirty from rolling on the muddy ground, but once clean, it would surely be a beautiful white.

She seemed to be about ten, still chubby and very young. This little girl would grow up to be a stunning beauty, as lovely as the Empire’s princess.

I was looking forward to when she grows up.

“She’s swollen.”

Her face and arms were already starting to puff up from the beating. Though the bruises hadn’t formed yet, red welts were present, which would surely turn blue in a few hours.

I should buy a potion when entering the Pretéum.

“Don’t lay a finger on my slave!”

Just as I was about to gently touch her wound, the man shouted.

‘If you’re scared, why are you still here? If you’re frightened, stay at least a hundred meters away.’

“If you approach, I’ll kill you.”

After warning him, I looked back down at the fox girl.

She wore a tattered T-shirt that seemed to have been stitched together countless times. I slipped my fingers into the neck area of her shirt and lifted it slightly.

I saw the tattooed right below her collarbone.

“Pathetic.”

I muttered irritably without thinking.

I met the fox girl’s gaze. Tears were streaming down her face, and she trembled. A faint smell of ammonia wafted up.

It didn’t show on the muddy ground, but it seemed like she had wet herself from my .

“How dare you say it’s pathetic! W-whoever you are, just give her back! She’s my property!”

Ignoring the man’s protests, I pulled a piece of dried meat and a bottle of water from my bag.

“Open your mouth.”

“Huh…?”

I stuffed the dried meat into her mouth, seeing the sharp teeth that looked like those of a predator. Then I placed the water in front of her.

“Don’t cry. I won’t hurt you.”

She stared at me blankly when I spoke. Her face was still stiff, but she didn’t seem as terrified as before.

“W-what are you doing?!”

“How much is she?”

“What?”

“I’m asking how much. For this slave.”

I looked at him. He winced and took a step back.

“Huh? I-I’m not selling!”

He was clearly trying to act tough.

Clutching to his misplaced pride when he had no right to. It was somewhat annoying.

“Really… not selling?”

“Y-yeah!”

“Then how about double?”

“What?”

“I’ll pay you double what you spent on buying this slave.”

I held up my index and middle fingers as I spoke.

“D-double…?”

He swallowed hard. Even facing my , his eyes changed when money was involved. He didn’t look like the same person who had been groveling just moments ago.

“B-but—”

‘If you refuse again, there’s nothing I can do. I can’t kill him.’

“Forget any thoughts of refusal. If you deny it, I plan to kill you right here.”

I reluctantly pointed my sword at Polde. I glared at him with all my might.

Now that I had said it, I had no option but to follow through. Bluster only works when words match actions.

“Gah!”

“What will you do?”

“I-I’ll sell…!”

“Good. Hand over the . Also, I need to meet the slave trader who introduced me to her.”

I said, loosening the tension in my eyes.

To terminate the slave contract, two conditions needed to be fulfilled.

The first was to burn the existing .

The second was to go to a human who could use the removal magic, including the slave trader, and have them release the slave brand.

Both of these had to be completed to nullify the slave contract.

“My … is at home.”

“I see. Then let’s go get it.”

“W-wait a moment…”

“What is it?”

“Before that, I really want to check if you can pay up.”

“…… How much did you buy her for?”

“Twenty silver coins.”

Twenty coins? That’s enough for a common family to live off for two years!

If anything, it seemed her appearance raised her value.

Then I would need to pay double that, which means forty silver coins.

I could afford that, but I couldn’t shake the feeling it was a waste. Plus, I needed to buy another hero at the auction, so I couldn’t afford to be careless.

“Here you go.”

I pulled out two gold coins from my pouch. Since one gold coin equals twenty silver coins, the math was spot on.

“Y-you really have it. O-okay, let’s go.”

He put the gold coins in his pouch and turned back to me. I spoke to the still-seated fox girl.

“What’s your name?”

“I-Iris…”

The fox girl muttered her name hesitantly.

“Good.”

That was just right.

I was relieved to get it spot on.

The greatest shield hero of humanity, Iris.

It was certainly written like that in the game.

But contrary to that description, the weapon she wielded was not a shield but a sword.

She was specialized in a fighting style that blocked everything with a sword and delivered devastating counterattacks.

“I’ll be your master from now on.”

“I-I….”

‘I know who you are.’

“I’m not interested in your backstory. Get up.”

Truly, I wanted to slap her.

Hearing my blunt words, she struggled to stand. She shyly tried to cover her lower body, as if she was worried about having made a mistake.

I couldn’t give her clothes right away, so the only thing I could do was look away.

“Oh right, I didn’t ask something important.”

“Y-yes?”

Polde, who had been walking ahead, stopped.

“I have to ask, you haven’t raped her or anything, right?”

“Uh, no! I bought her because beastmen are nice to use for labor, regardless of gender. And I was saving her to sell later since a virgin gets a higher price… I was keeping her for that.”

“So, you planned to resell her.”

“Look at her, she’s pretty cute, and if she’s a virgin, they say her price will triple after she matures.”

That was a reasonable explanation.

I was grateful this person was rational.

‘If he had done anything horrible to this child, I would not have forgiven him at all.’

“You’re lucky. If you had raped her, I would have beheaded you right here.”

Polde gulped.

It’s ridiculous to threaten him without even having drawn a sword.

“Let’s go.”

*

“What the hell is this?”

The coachman’s astonished face looked at Iris, who was dirty from rolling in the mud, with bruises all over her body.

He clearly had a lot to say.

In a medieval society where slavery exists, and the law isn’t well implemented like in modern times, it’s understandable for someone to show this reaction.

‘I don’t want to explain why I’m buying this child, so it’s better to gloss over it.’

“I can tell you have a lot to say. But shut it.”

I said confidently with my arms crossed. I hadn’t meant to sound so forceful, but the meaning must have gotten through.

“What kind of scum has no sense of morality!”

…or not?

“Praus, were you really coming to Pretéum to buy a slave?! With the money Paroco worked hard for? And to get such a young child at that!”

“Enough chitchat, let’s go. To Pretéum.”

“You jerk, what will Paroco think if he finds out—”

I didn’t care whether my father knew or not.

Since becoming a butler, Praus had never returned home even once. He simply sent money every month.

The implication was he wouldn’t involve himself with how I spent the money.

Of course, just because I wouldn’t waste the money Paroco provided didn’t mean I wasn’t aware its significance. Someday, this money would become the foundation for saving the Empire.

“Mind your own business. I’ve got my story for how I spend it.”

“…I understand.”

When I glared at him, the coachman turned away and faced forward. It seemed he didn’t have the courage to face my .

“Get in.”

Polde climbed into the carriage. I helped lift Iris, who was struggling to get in, by inserting my arm under her armpit.

“Ah… th-thank you.”

I waved my hand dismissively and climbed into the carriage.

The carriage began to move, passing the windmill construction site and arriving at Pretéum’s massive gate.

“What’s your business here?”

In glimmering golden armor, adorned with a design reminiscent of a phoenix on the chest, stood a guard emanating the robust aura of a true warrior.

Even without being told, I could tell he was a member of the <Royal Knight Order>.

“I’m Delma, the coachman from Secul.”

The coachman presented his ID card.

“Oh, Delma! Long time no see. What do you have inside that carriage?”

So that’s his name, Delma.

Delma explained our business and the contents of the carriage to the guard, who nodded and allowed us entry.

We successfully entered Pretéum.

I gazed at Pretéum through the tents, honestly not feeling astonished.

I’d already seen enormous buildings like this in modern times, and honestly, their technology was superior.

If there was anything worthy of awe, it was only the magnificent <Imperial Palace> visible from the entrance.

It was far larger than any castle I had seen in photos and left me staring in admiration.

“Is this far enough?”

“Thanks for your hard work.”

“Dammit. Are you my superior? I want to rip out your tongue. So, are you planning to leave in a few days?”

If I didn’t exert my pressure, I felt I could endure my . Even if I raised my hand, he flinched without fail, but it couldn’t be avoided.

“I’m thinking of about two weeks.”

The day the heroes are sold at the auction is a week from now.

Before that, I planned to have the second hero in my possession too. When I returned to Secul, I intended to have all three heroes prepared.

“Two weeks… that’s long. If I leave first, get another coachman.”

“Let’s do that. Go on, Polde.”

“Uh… please, don’t stare at my face when you talk? Just looking at you makes me feel like I’m gonna die from your glare.”

‘You feel bad? Ha, ridiculous.’

“I’d say it’s better than how a woman at the tavern would feel when looking at your face during sex, don’t you think?”

“…….”

He remained silent until we returned home.

Sorry. I didn’t mean to be that harsh.