Chapter 55

Kundrap Nokur Luwan Sinchai reported the incident to his master, Nakrop Igsidahan Nokur Luwan Prasat, still seething with anger.

---

The man's eyes were clearly filled with contempt, not only for Yobi but also for Zangin.

Almost simultaneously with the man's voice, two peacock-type bird people wearing matching red leather armor stood at the entrance of the inn, two more at the passages leading to each room, and the remaining two behind Zangin and Yobi, as if to prevent them from escaping. Zangin, who disliked being stood behind, led the stiffened Yobi into the back of the dining room, with his back to the wall, and looked at the man who had spoken.

The man was sitting, wearing a costume that seemed to be made by folding a large red cloth in two, cutting the folded part in a T-shape, and putting his head through it. The edges were all adorned in gold, and intricate embroidery could be seen. When the middle-aged man moved his arm, the magnificent peacock feathers, the most distinctive feature of the peacock-type bird people, could be seen peeking out from the costume. However, the peacock feathers were red. The man's hair, tied and pulled up, was also red, closer to a primary color than red hair. Perhaps because he was slender overall, the deep wrinkles on his forehead made his face look extremely sinister.

"First, why don't you introduce yourself? I'm sure you're not completely ignorant of manners."

At Zangin's blunt words, the middle-aged man's sinister-looking narrow eyes twitched, and he opened his mouth with a look of extreme displeasure.

"To be lectured on manners by a barbaric and lowly race. ...Very well. I am Kundrap Nokur Luwan Sinchai, sent by His Excellency Nakrop Igsidahan Nokur Luwan Prasat."

Upon hearing the introduction, Zangin quietly asked Yobi, who had a stiffened face, who he was and which was his name.

Ignoring the atmosphere, Yobi answered with a stiffened face.

(...He is a close aide to my ex-husband, no, Naver's father, and Naver's cousin. As for the name, they deny the culture of the northerners, so the name comes last. The order is social class, rank, gushti, family name, and name, but please don't call me by my name. The family name Luwan is fine.)

Zangin nodded slightly.

"I am—"

"—Enough. I don't have the time to hear your name. Now, Kuro, I'll say it again. Hand over the bat-type beast person you bought to my clan."

Zangin sighed, thinking, "Here we go again."

People with power, wealth, authority, and violence often try to twist the law.

There are people in Japan who twist rules and laws for a small profit and take others' hundreds to make their tens, but in this world, it seems to be openly accepted. Zangin knew this would happen, but his frustration grew.

"...Who are you going to return it to? You're not Yobi's ex-husband, are you?"

"Naver is one of my clan. There should be no problem with me reclaiming her."

"Even if that's fine, it's still a bit forceful to demand it back. Yobi is something I bought."

The man's narrow eyes narrowed even more, as if something had offended him.

"To reduce a man's second wife to a slave and then demand money for her is quite something. Well, five thousand pammits, or at most ten thousand pammits. I'll give you twenty thousand pammits with a little extra. It should be enough for a lowly race."

A second wife is a concubine-like secondary wife in this country, which privileged classes and the wealthy can have. They are treated as second wives but are completely under the command of the primary wife, handling household and sexual labor, and the primary wife retains custody of any children born.

Yobi was, of course, the primary wife, but it seemed the Luwan family, concerned about their reputation, referred to her as a second wife. Even if there was no primary wife, a second wife could be kept.

"---Two hundred and twenty thousand pammits, but I have no intention of selling."

Zangin, who did not like being accused of buying slaves cheaply, also gave the price of Yobi.

The man looked as if he did not understand what Zangin was saying.

"Two hundred and twenty thousand for a bat-type beast person? That's why—"

"---Eleven thousand for the purchase, eleven thousand for the preparation. I haven't made a profit, so if I were to sell, it would be around thirty thousand. And I'll say it again, I have no intention of selling."

At these words, a young peacock-type bird man who had been glaring at Zangin and Yobi all along gripped the hilt of the saber at his waist, as if about to draw it.

Zangin subtly placed his hand on the grip of his magic gun but did not look at the young man.

The young man's anger intensified, and he drew the saber halfway.

"---Stop, we didn't come to extort."

The young man released his hand from the saber, glaring hatefully at Zangin at the man's words.

But the man continued.

"If you try to deceive me with a fraudulent amount, I won't hesitate to use force?"

The man glared sharply at Zangin.

"If you don't believe me, go to the slave bureau, the association, and the blacksmith Golbald and ask. You must have connections at the slave bureau to have found out so quickly. ...Why don't you know how much I paid for Yobi? Or did you not trust your connections? Well, it doesn't matter.

Since you seem to have hearing problems, I'll say it again. I have no intention of selling Yobi. I wouldn't sell a slave I've made into a 'Nine Star.'"

"…Wait, a bat-type beast person became a 'Nine Star' in less than a day?"

Zangin showed Yobi's tag without a word.

The man and the young peacock-type bird men, who did not believe Zangin's words at all, changed their expressions when they saw Yobi's tag.

It was as if they had touched the dragon's reverse scale.

A bat-type beast person, who had only reached level ten as an explorer, became a 'Nine Star' in just one day.

It could only be that the race had used money to get good equipment, cheated, or flown in the sky, and none of these were acceptable to the proud bird people.

The young peacock-type bird man who had almost drawn his saber earlier confronted Zangin.

"It must be cheating."

"If you don't believe me, ask the association's auditor."

"The race always does this. They must have used despicable means."

The young peacock-type bird man grabbed Zangin by the collar.

The man had crossed Zangin's line.

The venomous insects inside Zangin stirred.

Zangin looked at the man who had grabbed him with a cold, cruel eye.

It was as if he was looking at an object.

After going through a dispute with Hayato and others, Zangin began to treat unavoidable conflicts as if his life didn't matter.

And he decided to treat the other person's life as if it didn't matter either.

Otherwise, he couldn't bear it.

If he was going to be killed anyway, he would take others down with him.

He had to have that kind of mindset to withstand the other person's hostility, malice, and murderous intent, which would make him want to run away.

If there was a place to run, it would be fine to run.

But there were times when there was no place to run and he couldn't back down.

Then, there was no choice but to do it.

"…Wait."

The man stopped the young man but had a humiliated expression, as if he had been bitten by a stray dog.

If it weren't for his job as the master's messenger, who knows what he would do.

"…Then, you have no intention of freeing her?"

Zangin, who had been roughly released by the man's stop, straightened his collar and answered.

"Yobi is a slave I bought legally in your country, paying high taxes to the slave bureau. It doesn't make sense to demand her freedom. If you want to negotiate, at least prepare the hundred thousand pammits I paid. Showing up empty-handed and demanding her freedom is just extortion.

Besides, Yobi herself doesn't want to be freed, so it's not your business to interfere."

At the moment, Zangin had no intention of selling Yobi.

To know the truth about the death of Yobi's child.

That was the promise.

And to know the direction of his own revenge, to acquire a person who would not betray him, he had no intention of selling.

Furthermore, the act of returning a woman covered in scars to the man who inflicted them was not something Zangin's emotions would allow.

He wouldn't say there was no self-satisfaction, ulterior motives, or stubbornness.

But more than that, it was the reason he painted, especially women. If he were to abandon her here, he wouldn't know how to face painting women.

To Zangin, women were both weak and strong.

They were an uncertain and changeable existence.

He wanted to paint such a life, like cherry blossoms.

Or maybe it wasn't such a grand reason.

Maybe it was just because he was a man and painted women.

If it were a completely unmanageable situation, he could give up, but he didn't want to abandon a woman who had only stumbled on the street.

It was certainly a hassle, but he couldn't live with his eyes closed.

If he could, he would have been more skillful in life.

But because he couldn't, he left the Aldoria Mountains and ended up in such a place.

Yobi, who was signaled by Zangin, took a step forward.

The man's eyes sharply pierced Yobi, as if to say, "Don't say anything unnecessary."

But Yobi, with a slightly trembling body, made a resolute face.

"…I do not want to return. I am thoroughly tired of my husband's violence and your arrogance."

The man's expression disappeared at Yobi's words.

He seemed to have passed beyond anger at the humiliation.

"…Are you defying the Luwan family?"

Yobi slightly flinched at the man's anger, but Zangin said calmly.

"That's what I've been saying. Stick to the rules. You don't bow, you don't pay. I can't see any sincerity. You call me barbaric and low, but you're much more barbaric for trying to extort me."

The man glared at Zangin as if trying to hold back something, then said,

"…Very well."

He left with just those words.

The young peacock-type bird men followed, throwing a lot of anger and murderous intent.

The dining room finally became quiet.

Zangin grabbed a chair and sat down heavily.

It was tough. He hadn't expected violence to break out here, but he wasn't used to negotiations that involved violence.

"…I'm sorry."

Yobi