Chapter 40.1

target character ‘lucas’ is close by. if found within the time limit, the probability of undisclosed routes occurring increases.

my eyes almost popped out of their sockets at the same message i saw when i picked up adrian.

target character ‘lucas’ is currently roaming the shamua kingdom for some reason. find him before he heads for the temple.

reward for success: ‘lucas’ likability +20, charm +20, stamina +20, ‘lucas’ undisclosed route

penalty for failure: ‘lucas’ undisclosed route closes

‘lucas is definitely a sex slave at the temple…’

why is the notification saying that he was in a foreign land when he should appear in the second half of the game as a slave who would serve jian, the saint?

i nodded without much consideration, recalling lucas’ illustration boasting sharp eyes and pointed ears that matched.

‘anyway, there’s no penalty, so of course i should accept it.’

if the undisclosed route would close, that didn’t mean that there were no other ways to target him.

unfortunately, unlike adrian, no arrow mark was created to follow.

‘let’s go back to the inn and think about the quest first.’

* * *

“hiiiing, hiiiing!”

it was best to bring the fainted man back to the inn, but adrian stared at him, whining as if he didn’t like the slave at all.

“hiiiing!”

i shrugged at adrian’s whining, which was a mix of strange complaints unlike the usual.

“it must be uncomfortable because we are crowded in the room, but it can’t be helped. he is hurt.”

“out there, out there.”

as if to contest my words, after crying briefly, adrian dragged the man to the window. i sprang to my feet as rian clenched the man’s neck and looked like he was about to throw the man out the window.

“no way!”

“outside!”

adrian’s stubbornness forced me to wave the rod that the slave trader gave me in front of him.

“rian, put him down. how could you think of throwing an injured person out the window?”

“it’s okay, it’s okay!”

rian screamed as if contesting what i said.

“no, it’s not alright.”

“i, a man, die.”

“that’s right. he’ll die if you throw him.”

rian nodded vigorously up and down.

“die, it’s all right.”

“…”

despite his resolute nodding, i quickly snatched the man away from him.

“hiiing…”

rian let out a somber whine like a puppy whose toy was taken away, but no matter how much he begged, i couldn’t let him do what he wanted.

depressed by my stiff expression, adrian sat on the bedside with a thump. after glancing at him, i began to apply medicine to the man’s wound.

‘there is no sound place, there is no sound place…’

the condition of his body warranted many sighs. the man wasn’t wearing a shirt like a slave. it was nice to see that he had a slender body made up of small muscles, but they were covered in bruises. his condition was way worse compared to when i picked up adrian, so i naturally frowned.

‘is his face okay?’

it was the moment when i pulled off the hood covering his face that he woke up. his bright yellow eyes glared at me, and he grabbed my hand.

“…what?”

his face was so bloody that i even wondered if it was the same pickpocket from before.

“why are you here?”

i pursed my lips, a bit overwhelmed by the man’s menacing eyes.

“you, my master?”

even though it’s a temporary master for a week.

“master?”

“yes.”

the man stared at me, and then laughed sharply at my answer. his eyes were clearly smiling, but a cold sound pierced me, like a knife blade touching my skin.

“…you, you bought me?”

‘how dare you?’

i shook my head at the man’s barely audible words. a slave who’s staring at his master like this? i hate it.

“no. i borrowed you,” i answered a little too harshly. “you don’t say thank you.”

even magpies pay off their debts. i glared at the ungrateful pickpocket.

“thank you for what? for borrowing me?”

“i should have just let you die.”

the man burst into a nervous laugh at my bad words.

“ha. how could he kill me? he knows how expensive i am.”

he seemingly rather wanted to die. i felt sorry for some reason, so when i shut my mouth, he put his hand on my shoulder.

“grrrrr….” rian growled at the sight, but the man ignored him easily.

“you asked to borrow me. have you fallen for me?”

i slowly opened my mouth to the man’s sharp voice, “…you didn’t rat us out.”

the man’s yellow eyes darkened with my answer. i continued calmly, looking at his wide-eyed expression as if surprised.

“it bothered me.”

“…”

“and you have misunderstood, rian is not my slave.”