Chapter 48

The scene was filled with deceitful lies, with no one receiving blows, only the assailants dominating the fight.

The overheated atmosphere seethed like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment.

As the tension grew, their energy began to seep out, causing the building to vibrate slightly.

Victor moved quickly, worried the bar might fly apart if left unchecked. He filled two glasses with water and approached the young elf.

"Ice."

"Hey, spirits aren't here just to do that, you know?"

"Should I tell Miss Arpia that one of her elves wants to return to the forest?"

"You dirty human."

The ice spirit reluctantly conjured ice cubes, which plopped into the glass.

Victor immediately stepped into the center of the commotion and placed the glasses down.

"Cool down with some water."

The self-proclaimed slaves, who were glaring at each other like cats and dogs, glanced at the glasses. After exchanging looks, signaling a temporary truce, they downed the water in one gulp as if it were part of their ongoing competition.

Thud!

They slammed the glasses down with a loud clink, exhaling deeply to release the heat.

"I apologize. I got a bit excited for a moment."

"I should be the one apologizing. As a long-lived species, I should have shown more patience."

Narsha quickly regained her composure.

"So, where is he now?"

"He went to Bestia."

"Bestia…"

If the Great Forest was a paradise for elves, Bestia was the kingdom of the beastfolk.

"So why is Miss Arpia here instead of chasing after him?"

"I'd love to, but I was told to train the elves as slaves. I'm just fulfilling my role."

"Hmm…"

Narsha fell silent, lost in thought.

'Should I go to Bestia?'

No, it would be pointless. She hadn't met him even when they were in the same kingdom. Now that he's in another kingdom altogether, chasing after him would be nearly impossible.

'Then…'

She quickly made up her mind.

"I'll stay here as well."

"What?"

Arpia was waiting for Karamir to return while training the elves. So, if Narsha stayed here, Karamir would eventually come to her.

There was no need to go through the trouble of searching for him.

Of course, Arpia immediately protested.

"Absolutely not."

"Why not? It's not like this city belongs to you, and you seem to be freeloading at the bar. You don't really have the right to say no, do you?"

"There’s no space for you here. Isn't that right, Master?"

Arpia looked at Victor, but his expression remained indifferent.

"Why don’t you all just pack up and leave?"

"What?"

Arpia had been certain Victor would take her side, but instead, he had issued an eviction order.

"Why?"

"Why? Do you know how much I’m spending on food right now?"

Including Emily, Karamir's group also had Lily, Lala, Matthew, and Honey, whom Matthew had brought along. Then there was Leonard as well.

That would have been fine. Karamir had given plenty of money to support them, and Leonard was there on Victor’s own initiative.

Arpia?

Victor could tolerate Arpia for sentimental reasons. But…

Victor glanced at the small elf children. There were at least ten of them.

"I can't even tell if this is a bar or a daycare anymore. Do you really expect me to run a daycare at my age? This is my bar, the one I bought with my money. I can't live like this."

"But this is all for the greater good…"

"I don't care about the greater good. I don’t have any money. Go out and earn some!"

Victor exploded with anger.

While Arpia stood there, stunned, Narsha clapped her hands together lightly and interjected.

"Oh my, then it seems there’s room for one person. Unlike some people, I do have a sense of decency. I’ll pay for my room and meals regularly."

"Hmm, as long as you’re paying, there’s no problem."

"If you need help around the bar, feel free to ask. I used to run a trading company, so I’m quite confident in serving customers."

"Ahem, what a polite young lady. Everyone around me seems to have no respect for their elders… Yes, this is how the world should be!"

Victor, visibly touched, wiped his tears away with his arm.

Narsha, maintaining her composed demeanor, smiled triumphantly at Arpia.

Seeing that she was about to be kicked out, Arpia urgently signaled to Leonard for help. Leonard, who had been watching the scene unfold, sighed deeply.

"Master, saying you have no money is a lie, isn’t it?"

"Huh? A lie?"

Victor flinched.

"When you all went to the Great Forest, Master and I followed a tip from your master and went to the basement of the trading company. There, we found relics from Loperferman’s treasury. Any one of those items could build multiple taverns if sold…"

"Leonard, you traitor! I specifically told you not to tell anyone!"

"Oh, it’s time to feed the children. Come along, little ones."

With a smug look, Leonard led the children downstairs. Victor tried to stop her, but Arpia’s icy glare held him in place.

The springtime warmth that once sparkled in Arpia’s eyes was now replaced with a cold, frosty gaze.

"What? No money?"

"No, it’s… it’s my retirement fund…"

"Retirement fund? There are elders here older than Master. Aren't you embarrassed in front of the kids?"

"Elders? But they’re…"

"Enough."

Arpia cut him off abruptly.

"Let’s expand the place. The children need to grow up with sunlight. It’s not right for them to live in the basement."

"But…"

"Or better yet, let's just build a new place altogether and separate the tavern from the daycare. It’s not good for the children’s development."

Victor turned to Narsha for help, but…

"Oh my, if we’re building something new, that means there’ll be plenty of space. I’d like a larger room, please. I need room for a big bed and a vanity."

She was already convinced she’d have her own room, complete with special requests.

"I think we get along well."

"Of course, we’re both slaves under the same master."

These self-proclaimed slaves seemed to be getting carried away, celebrating among themselves.

Victor’s vision went dark!

That evening…

The Night Festival was bustling with well-known figures. The rumor that elves were serving drinks had spread, making the tavern a must-visit spot in Noktar.

Of course, the only one actually working was Leonard. Arpia refused to serve anyone, insisting she was Karamir’s slave and wouldn’t serve others.

'What kind of slave gets to do whatever they want?'

This was no slave—it was slave cosplay.

But Victor wasn’t about to support freeloaders, so he had stuck Arpia behind the bar, at least to act as a face for the tavern. Even she couldn’t refuse that much.

"Master, I’ve been thinking."

Another presence, though not as eye-catching as the elves, had drawn attention. Narsha, who was staying at a nearby inn due to the lack of available rooms, had dropped by.

"What is it?"

"I think running a small tavern like this with our current setup is a waste."

"I’ve always run a tavern, and these people just joined in."

"A true merchant knows how to adapt to a changing environment."

"What?"

Victor was taken aback.

"Why? What’s the matter?"

"This is a miracle! I never thought I’d meet someone normal before I die!"

Recently, intelligent life forms seemed to have gone extinct around Victor.

He was surrounded by young elves running around town to turn others into slaves, and elves barely tall enough to reach his waist spewing nonsense.

And when Emily said, ‘Maybe I’ll become Karamir’s slave too,’ he nearly smashed a bottle and went out to find Karamir himself.

For Victor, Narsha’s words were the first sensible thing he had heard in a long time. Naturally, he was shocked.

Though Narsha also showed some of the same tendencies as the others, compared to them, she was downright reasonable.

Narsha smiled stiffly. May you live long, Master.

"What are you planning? Nothing strange, I hope?"

Arpia, unable to hold back, interrupted.

"I’m thinking of expanding the business."

"Business?"

"Yes."

Narsha had given it careful thought after returning to the inn.

Arpia had brought the elf slaves. If Karamir returned, he’d undoubtedly be pleased. Having a bunch of elves, any one of whom would make others envious, was a surefire way to win his favor.

In that case, Arpia would monopolize Karamir’s love and trust. Narsha, on the other hand, would only be compared unfavorably to her.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

So, she came up with a plan not to fall behind—‘Do what you’re best at.’

Before her swordsmanship, Narsha’s true strength lay in something else.

Not combat, but business.

"I’ve heard that the city is in turmoil. Food supplies are nearly impossible to get, and the prices are outrageous."

With the collapse of the Rose of the Desert Trading Company, smaller merchants had begun vying for control, fragmenting the market.

Supplies, including grains, spices, and metals, had vanished from the market, causing prices to skyrocket.

While this economic downturn affected many, for Narsha, it was an opportunity to strike.

She didn’t need to rely on her family’s power. She wasn’t so shameless as to worry them and then ask for help.

Besides, she didn’t need her family’s assistance.

Everything was already in place.

She had herself, and though she hadn’t acknowledged it earlier, she knew Baron Bardelli was secretly counting on her. If she could stabilize the market, she’d have his full support.@@novelbin@@

Victor also had good business sense. The tavern’s upscale nature showed that he understood his customers' needs.

Then there was Victor’s capital, his tavern, and his connections.

But most importantly, the most critical element of this business…

‘Elves.’

With them, they could run a one-of-a-kind establishment, drawing in the wealth of the upper class and establishing an entirely new trading company.

That was Narsha’s plan.

As for the company’s name…

‘The Trading Company of the Reaper.’

If she presented the company to Karamir, she was sure to win his favor.

‘Oh, how will my master react? What praise will he offer me?’

Of course, Narsha, you are the best among my slaves.

Just imagining it filled Narsha’s face with ecstasy.

What could he be doing now?

He was surely up to something beyond her imagination.

‘No fucking way, my points!!!’

An inn in a city on the road to Bestia, the Beastfolk Kingdom.

A man's desperate cries echoed through the room.

The room was littered with all sorts of junk.

In the man's hand, he clutched a crumpled piece of paper.

[Points held: 3,120pt]

The points he had carefully saved by freeing slaves were liquidated in an instant. Despite his usually cool-headed nature, the devil's temptation had driven him to ruin in a single moment.

[New System: Slave Draw]

I can’t resist Gacha. Not even if an archangel himself appeared.

I’m ruined because I couldn’t resist.