My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 30

As expected of a large annex, I had the freedom to choose my room.

However, due to the two persistent ones continuously asking me which room I would choose, I had to decide first.

I sent the children to their room first. Delma stifled a big yawn as he went in.

Just as I was about to enter my room, Dex carefully spoke up.

“Lord Praus.”

“What do you want?”

“Why are you so flustered around the slave?”

“Flustered?”

“From what I gather, you also bought a girl named Maria as a slave. Why don’t you treat the slave with more authority? You even have the Slave Brand, don’t you?”

Is it because she’s stronger than me?

“Not at all.”

“Huh?”

You can’t gain affection with a Slave Brand.

This affection isn’t to win her over as a heroine but rather to assert control over her.

Removing the Slave Brand was the cornerstone of everything.

With a Slave Brand, no matter what I said, I couldn’t be persuasive.

It absolutely demonstrated the difference in status, making anything I said inherently uncomfortable.

“No way, you paid 1,300 gold for her and then had the Slave Brand removed? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of buying a slave?”

Dex said this with a face full of disbelief.

Even I found it absurd. With 1,300 gold, you could do just about anything.

If I were not a Hero, I could have just lived off easy in a village for the rest of my life.

“Not really necessary.”

“Well, considering your abilities, you could easily handle those kids. What I want to ask is, why did you buy her for 1,300 gold? What is so special about her?”

“…I was just concerned. That’s all.”

At my words, Ariel smiled meaningfully.

[Liar.]

Such a pointless time to use telepathy.

Being the Spirit King, Ariel must have seen the previous generation of Heroes.

In games, there are often lines like ‘Oh, you’re Heroes? You seem a bit different in disposition.’

“Is it her looks?”

Is this guy crazy?

She’s undoubtedly beautiful, but aside from her being a Hero, I didn’t buy her for any ulterior motives.

If I had ulterior motives, I would’ve bought a healthier woman, not children.

“You think I judge people by their appearance?”

“But Tina, Iris, and Maria—those three girls are all beautiful, aren’t they?”

“…The future is indeed promising.”

I don’t deny it.

It’s true that all three kids are attractive, and they possess the ultimate strength of being Heroes.

In terms of positions, they might be akin to the perfect honor student.

“See?”

Totally oblivious, Dex just chuckled. However, I had already caught on to the fact that he was hiding something in his mind.

“So what are you going to do when those kids grow up?”

“Honestly, nothing.”

What I need to do is simply guide them to ensure they don’t go astray. They’ll get stronger on their own without needing me to do anything.

“Hmm. You seem to think differently from most people, Lord Praus.”

Of course, I had to be different.

I am not the same as those who have lived in this world since birth till now.

Having lived as a modern person, there were so many things that just didn’t fit when adapting to a medieval backdrop.

From everyday life to crime, everything.

“The things you can see are different because you’re different.”

“So you just allow Maria to keep acting rude?”

“I understand. The kids have wounds. If Iris or Tina were to act that way, I would have reacted in the same manner.”

When a person is betrayed once, it becomes hard to trust again. Whether Beastman or Elf, any sentient creature can feel that way.

So all I had to do was understand and wait.

“It’s time for bed now. Let them grow on their own.”

“Goodnight.”

I entered the room I had chosen, and Ariel followed me inside.

“What are you doing?”

“I didn’t get to talk to Pasma today. Let me talk to him.”

“…I am tired today. Maybe later—”

“No way. What if I want to talk right now?”

Ugh. I am really tired.

*

“Not using you? Then what is it?”

Maria still couldn’t understand Iris.

She believed that Iris, if anything, had received better treatment than she had.

Though Maria had only been a slave for a short time, Iris had endured humiliation under other men for almost a year.

That fact was known to Maria as well.

“But you still trust people?”

Maria also knew that Praus was different from ordinary people.

She long sensed that his thought process didn’t remotely consider status.

“If not, there’s no way he would use informal speech to anyone, regardless of age, nobility, or being an S-Class Adventurer.”

She thought about that.

In truth, it was due to his Expression Management Skill, but she wouldn’t know that until Praus said so directly.

“But in the end, he’s still a person. Someone who hides behind others to exploit for his own interests…”

Maria clenched her fist. Then her gaze fell to the wand hanging by her waist.

It was the “First Steps of the Archmage” that Praus had given her.

—What did Lord Praus require of you?

The words Iris had said echoed in Maria’s mind.

“I don’t know…”

Maria was in turmoil.

She couldn’t discern whether he truly wanted to use her or not.

The fact that he paid such an enormous sum of 1,300 gold, and despite buying her as a slave, he had removed the Slave Brand baffled her completely.

“What on earth does he want…”

If he had simply asked for her body, that would have made perfect sense, and Maria would have hated this human, Praus, without hesitation.

Yet he asked nothing from her.

Seeing Praus, who never reveals his emotions and speaks arrogantly toward her, made Maria think if there could be someone so blunt.

She found it hard to want him close at all.

However, she always understood that his actions carried a sense of “consideration.”

That gap confused Maria’s emotions.

“I know Praus is a good person. But does that mean I should let the humans who took everything from me go free? Ridiculous. I—”

Maria muttered to herself, bubbling with frustration. At that moment, she heard Dex’s voice from beyond the door.

She held her breath and heightened her senses with mana.

“Why are you flustered around the slave?”

“Flustered?”

“From what I gather, you also bought a girl named Maria as a slave. Why don’t you treat the slave with more authority? You even have the Slave Brand, don’t you?”

It was a conversation about the Slave Owner.

Praus brushed off Dex’s question casually.

Essentially, he said he didn’t care since he could deal with the Slave Brand if it came to it.

“Yeah, that’s probably the reason then. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left a slave alone.”

She couldn’t hide her disappointment. Then she shook her head.

“Why am I surprised? Humans are all like that.”

Muttering to herself, she sat down and wrapped her arms around her knees.

“But Tina, Iris, and Maria—those three girls are all beautiful, aren’t they?”

“…The future is indeed promising.”

‘So that’s what it was? He’s not touching them because they’re still young?’

“So you just allow Maria to keep acting rude?”

“I understand. The kids have wounds. If Iris or Tina were to act that way, I would have reacted in the same manner.”

‘You understand? You’re just pretending to understand. What could you know about my pain after not even living a month together?…’

As soon as she heard Praus enter the room, Maria got up.

“Who are you?”

“!”

Maria jumped in surprise at the sudden voice.

‘How did they come in without a sound?’

She noticed a silhouette lurking near the window and instinctively tried to draw her wand.

“Who are you—!”

“Not happening.”

With lightning speed, the figure snatched her wand away. Moonlight streamed through the gap in the window, reflecting off their pink hair.

“Beastman…?”

Maria muttered involuntarily as she saw the slender object emanating from the silhouette sway.

But the silhouette’s focus was solely on the wand.

“This is quite a fine wand, you know? Too good for a little girl.”

“Give that back—”

“Shhh~”

Before she knew it, the silhouette had covered her mouth.

“Don’t make a sound. Want me to kill you? And since I took it, shouldn’t this now belong to me?”

“Mmph!”

‘Don’t be ridiculous. That was given to me by Lord Praus.’

In this desperate situation, Maria felt a question arise.

‘If he knows I despise humans, why give me this wand? What good will it do if I’m strong…’

She glared at the silhouette, who was snickering while holding her wand.

‘Don’t think about it. In the end, he’s just intending to make me strong for some purpose.’

Crack!

A spark ignited from her hand. The once-dark room brightened, revealing the silhouette.

With cat ears adorning the pink-haired figure and a thin pink cat tail swaying.

Her outfit was hard to discern, resembling something like a robe, barely covering her thighs, along with a long red scarf and stockings, creating a rather bizarre appearance.

“I thought you were a magician since you have a wand. Pretty impressive. But you’re slow.”

The silhouette seized Maria’s hand, channeling mana backward to nullify her magic.

“Ugh!”

“Your mana is reasonable. But you’ve got zero real-world experience. Is it because you’re young?”

As the silhouette evaluated her without care, Maria felt a mix of irritation and fear.

She never imagined she’d be overpowered without the ability to resist after growing strong.

‘I’m scared. Help me.’

Struggling, she tried to pull away from the grasp, but it was as if glue bonded their hands together.

“Don’t resist. I could kill you right here for breaking into the Duke’s Residence.”

With the creeping dread rising from her feet, Maria began to tremble.

‘Someone… help!’

Desperately wriggling in an attempt to seek help, Maria’s movements were coldly scrutinized by the silhouette from above.

“You’re not listening.”

The silhouette raised their hand high.

At that moment.

Suddenly, the wall split apart, creating a hole.

The jagged wall collapsed, echoing with a resounding thud.

The wall splintered, scattering debris everywhere.

“Let go of Maria, you bastard.”

There stood Praus, his Aura Sword drawn, his expression ominous as he hurled insults.