My Disciples Think I’m Strong

Being a large annex, there was freedom in choosing rooms.
However, because the two kept asking me which room I would choose, I had to decide first.

I sent the children to their rooms first. Delma also entered a room, yawning loudly.
I was about to enter my own room when Dex cautiously spoke up.

“Lord Praus.”
“Why are you calling me?”
“Why are you pandering to a slave?”
“Pandering?”
“From what I’ve heard, you seem to have purchased that girl Maria as a slave too. Why don’t you act more forcefully towards a slave? She even has the slave brand.”

Well, that’s because she’s stronger than me, for starters?

“She doesn’t.”
“Pardon?”

Without the slave brand, I couldn’t gain her favor.
This was not about gaining romantic favor, but rather becoming someone capable of restraining her.

Removing the slave brand was the foundation for everything.

With the slave brand, no matter what I said, it would lack persuasiveness.
The absolute difference in status would make any words I spoke uncomfortable.

“What, you spent 1,300 gold only to remove her slave brand? But then, what was the point of buying a slave?”

Dex spoke with an incredulous expression.

Even I found it absurd. With 1,300 gold, I could have done just about anything.

If I wasn’t a hero, I could have lived comfortably in a village for life.

“There’s no need for such things.”
“Well, with Lord Praus’s abilities, you could easily deal with those girls. What I want to know is why you spent 1,300 gold to buy her. What’s so special about her?”
“…I was concerned. That’s all.”

At my words, Aerial gave a meaningful smile.

[Liar.]

She even used telepathy unnecessarily.

As a Spirit King, Aerial must have seen the heroes of previous generations.
In the game, there was a line where she recognized the heroes and said, “So you’re the heroes? You seem a bit different in temperament, though.”

“Her appearance?”

Was he insane?
While she was undoubtedly beautiful, there was no ulterior motive for purchasing her beyond her being a hero.

If I had such motives, I would have bought a healthier woman instead of children.

“You think I judge people by their looks?”
“But Tina, Iris, Maria, aren’t all three of those girls quite pretty?”
“…Their future prospects are quite promising, I suppose.”

I didn’t deny it.
All three girls were indeed attractive, and they possessed the ultimate power of being heroes.
In terms of position, they would be like cherished daughters.

“You see?”

Dex, oblivious to the circumstances, simply laughed. However, I had already sensed that he was hiding his intentions.

“So what will you do when those girls grow up?”
“Nothing in particular.”

My role was simply to ensure they didn’t stray off course.
They would grow stronger on their own without me doing anything.

“Hmm. Lord Praus seems to have a different perspective from others.”

It couldn’t be helped.
From the moment I was born until now, I was different from those who had lived in this world.

There were far too many aspects that didn’t align with my modern upbringing in this medieval-style world – from daily life to crime, everything.

“It’s because I see things differently.”
“So is that why you allow Maria to act so improperly?”
“I understand. Those children have wounds. If Iris or Tina acted that way, I would have responded the same.”

Once betrayed, it was human nature to have difficulty trusting again. Whether beastkin, elf, or any sentient being, they would all react similarly.
So all I could do was understand and wait.

“I’m going to bed now. You all grow up on your own.”
“Good night.”

I entered the room I had chosen. Aerial followed me inside.

“What are you doing?”
“I didn’t get to talk to Pasma today. Let me talk to him.”
“…I’m tired today. Later—”
“No. I want to talk right now.”

Ah. I was exhausted.

“Not using me? Then what is it?”

Maria still couldn’t understand Iris.

Surely she hadn’t received any less treatment than Maria, or so she thought.

While Maria had only recently been brought as a slave, Iris had endured all sorts of humiliation for nearly a year, working under a different man.
Maria was aware of this fact.

“Yet you still trust humans?”

Maria knew that Praus was different from ordinary people.
She had long realized that his way of thinking didn’t consider status at all.

‘Because otherwise, he wouldn’t speak informally to everyone, regardless of age, gender, nobility, or even S-rank adventurers.’

That was her thought.
In truth, it was due to the Emotionless Mask skill, but until Praus revealed it himself, she had no way of knowing.

“But in the end, he’s still human. Someone who will use and discard others for his own benefit, that kind of…”

Maria clenched her fists tightly. Then her gaze fell upon the staff attached to her waist.

The ‘First Steps of a Great Mage’ that Praus had given her.

-What has Lord Praus ‘demanded’ from you?

Iris’s words echoed in Maria’s mind.

“I don’t know…”

Maria was confused.

She couldn’t tell if he was truly using her or not.

The immense sum of 1,300 gold he had paid, the fact that he had purchased her as a slave yet removed the slave brand – everything from start to finish was incomprehensible.

“What does he really want…?”

If he had simply desired her body, it would have been too clear, and Maria would have unhesitatingly despised the human Praus.

However, he had made no demands of Maria.

Observing Praus’s usual indifferent attitude towards her and his arrogant speech, Maria thought there couldn’t be a more aloof person she wouldn’t want by her side.

Yet his actions always seemed to convey ‘consideration,’ and that gap only served to confuse Maria’s feelings.

“I know Praus is a good person. But… Should I just let the humans who took everything from me go? Don’t be ridiculous. I—”

As Maria muttered and was about to vent her frustration, Dex’s voice came from beyond the door.
She suppressed her breath and enhanced her senses with mana.

“Why are you pandering to a slave?”
“Pandering?”
“From what I’ve heard, you seem to have purchased that girl Maria as a slave too. Why don’t you act more forcefully towards a slave? She even has the slave brand.”

It was about removing her slave brand.
Praus gave a casual response to Dex’s question.
In the end, it was because he could overpower her, so he had removed the slave brand.

‘Right, it was probably just that simple a reason. Otherwise, why would he have freed a slave?’

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

“Why am I suddenly disappointed? Humans are all like that, after all.”

Muttering to herself, she sat down and hugged her knees.

“But Tina, Iris, Maria, aren’t all three of those girls quite pretty?”
“…Their future prospects are quite promising, I suppose.”

‘So that was the real reason? Because they’re still young, he’s not touching them?’

“So is that why you allow Maria to act so improperly?”
“I understand. Those children have wounds. If Iris or Tina acted that way, I would have responded the same.”

‘Understand? You’re just pretending to understand. What do you know about me? We haven’t even spent a month together, how could you possibly know the pain I’ve endured…’

As soon as she heard Praus enter his room, Maria stood up.

“Who are you?”
“!”

Maria flinched at the sudden voice.

‘But I didn’t hear any sound? How did they get in?’

Spotting a silhouette loitering near the window, she immediately reached for her staff.

“Who are you—!”
“Not allowed.”

With swift agility, the figure snatched her staff away. The moonlight filtering through the window made the pink hair glisten.

“A beastkin…?”

Seeing something slender swishing from the silhouette, she unconsciously muttered.
However, the silhouette’s attention was solely fixed on the staff.

“This is quite a fine staff? Too much for a mere child.”
“Give that back right—”
“Shh~”

The silhouette, now closer, clamped a hand over her mouth.

“Don’t make too much noise. Or I’ll kill you? And this staff is mine now that I’ve taken it, isn’t it?”
“Mmph!”

‘Don’t be ridiculous. Praus gave that to me.’

In this dire situation, Maria wondered:

‘Even knowing I resent humans, why did he give me this staff? How does me having great power really help him…?’

She gritted her teeth as she watched the silhouette snicker while toying with her staff.

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

Fwish!
A spark ignited in her hand, illuminating the dark room and revealing the silhouette’s appearance.

Pink hair with cat ears protruding above, and a slender pink cat tail swishing behind.

Her attire seemed to be some kind of robe, barely covering down to mid-thigh, with a long red scarf around her neck and stockings on her legs – an unfamiliar ensemble.

“I figured you were a mage since you had a staff. Not bad. But slow.”

The silhouette grasped Maria’s hand and reversed the flow of mana, nullifying her magic.

“Mmph!”
“Your mana capacity is decent. But you have no actual combat experience, do you? Because of your age?”

Maria felt both irritated and terrified by the silhouette’s arbitrary evaluation.
She had never imagined that despite becoming stronger, she couldn’t resist and was being toyed with so one-sidedly.

‘I’m scared. Please spare me.’

She struggled and tried to pry the hand off her mouth, but it felt like it was glued on, unable to be removed.

“Don’t resist. I could kill you right now for trespassing in the Duke’s residence.”

Feeling a creeping sense of dread from the soles of her feet, Maria’s legs began trembling uncontrollably.

‘Someone… help me!’

Maria desperately writhed in an attempt to call for help. Observing her, the silhouette looked down with displeasure.

“Not listening, are you?”

The silhouette raised her hand high.
At that very moment –
The wall suddenly split open, a hole blasted straight through.
The haphazardly sliced wall collapsed with a thud, raining debris as it crumbled.

“Let Maria go, you bastard.”

There stood Praus, his Aura Sword unfurled, with a menacing expression as he spewed profanities.