My Disciples Think I’m Strong

“What’s going on?”

Following Polder’s guidance into an alleyway, there was a man leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
With his burly physique and a sword at his hip, he looked like the type to pick fights.

“I, I came to meet a slave trader.”
“Oh? You bought a slave not too long ago, but you’ve already got money again?”

The man snickered while looking at Iris beside me. Iris flattened her fox ears and hid behind my legs.

“Ah, is she useless, so you came to resell her?”
“No. I came to transfer the slave contract.”
“Transfer the contract. So you’re transferring her to that scruffy guy behind you?”
“That’s right.”
“Hey, you—”

He couldn’t finish his sentence.
The moment he shifted his gaze from Iris to me, he shut his mouth.

“Heh… Where did you pick up that guy? He’s no knight, is he?”
“Doesn’t seem to be a knight. But he’s clearly a powerful person.”

A knight? Just how potent was my Intimidation for everyone to react this way?
I was curious too.
Since I couldn’t sense the Intimidation or mana I was emitting, I wondered what people facing me were feeling.

“How long do we have to wait, Polder?”
“My, my apologies. Anyway, I want to meet the slave trader. Let me through.”
“No, it doesn’t seem like a good idea for you to go in there.”

The man stood in our way warily. His muscles tensed as he grabbed the hilt of his sword.

‘Tsk. This is getting complicated. It’s because I unnecessarily released my Intimidation, isn’t it? And I don’t have time for this.’
“Are you trying to block my path now?”

At my words, he flinched and took a step back. The hand gripping the hilt trembled.

“Kuhh! What kind of intimidating presence is this…!”

The man’s breathing became ragged. His legs seemed to wobble.
Not bad. Alright, let’s keep going.

‘It’s because I’m in a hurry, you see? I’d appreciate it if you let me through.’
“I won’t say it twice. Move aside. Or you’ll really die.”

Please, don’t make this situation more difficult. My mouth.
The man hesitated, but it seemed he couldn’t back down either, as he gritted his teeth and tightened his grip.

‘Ah, please, just let me through.’
“The moment you draw your sword, you die.”

Flinch!
My Intimidation must have intensified compared to before, as the man broke out in a cold sweat.

We faced off against each other.
Polder was looking at me in awe.

“Kughh! Th, there’s nothing I can do either!”

The man tried to draw his sword.
Hey, don’t! Don’t draw it! I’ll cry?

“Stop! That’s enough.”

Just before the blade fully left the scabbard, the man paused and looked in the direction of the voice.
There stood a bespectacled man in a suspicious-looking robe.

“There’s no need to be so wary.”
“But…”
“If that person intended to cause trouble, he wouldn’t have even spoken in the first place.”

A smirk appeared from under the hood.
Was he interpreting the situation on his own? Although he did defuse the situation, so I was grateful.

“Anyway, did you say you wanted to transfer a contract?”
“Yes.”

The robed man adjusted his glasses and made eye contact with me.

“Wow… What an imposing presence. It’s no wonder our friend here is tense.”

The man spoke in a subdued tone, but he didn’t seem intimidated despite me toning down my Intimidation.
It seemed he was accustomed to such situations from facing many powerful individuals before.

“In any case, there will be a fee for the transfer process. Is that alright?”
“It’s fine.”
“Very good. Please come in.”

Phew, it seemed I narrowly avoided a deadly confrontation.
I glanced at the man. He averted my gaze with his head slightly lowered.

‘Coward.’
“You. If you act like that again the next time we meet, you won’t survive.”

No, why was I threatening someone who had already backed down? I’d be the one dying.
I arrogantly issued that warning before heading down the stairs leading underground.

“He must be quite the skilled individual. That kid has a reputation for being quite strong in the underworld, but you suppressed him with just your gaze.”

…Really? I didn’t know that?
I threatened someone like that? I’m the one who’s going to die, aren’t I?

“I don’t care.”

But regardless of my inner turmoil, my mouth moved on its own.

“Heh. Impressive.”

He chuckled in admiration.
After descending the stairs for a while, an iron gate appeared. It seemed to be the entrance the man had come from, as the gate was open.

As soon as we entered, countless iron bars and the sounds of crying assaulted us. Some were human, others beast-like.

“Quite a lot of slaves.”
“While you’re here, would you like to take a look at some slaves instead of just transferring a contract?”
“No need. But there is something I’d like to ask.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve heard there will be a major slave auction in a week. Do you know where it’s being held?”
“Hmm. I do know, but the slaves there are too expensive for commoners to purchase.”
“Just answer the question. If you say anything like that again, I’ll beat you like a dog.”

The one getting beaten like a dog will be me. I want to cry.

“Oh my. It seems I’ve upset you. My apologies.”
“So where is it?”
“Ah~ For information like this, I need to be compensated~”

He’s being a wiseass.
Even after facing my Intimidation, he didn’t lose his smile – quite impressive. I took out a silver coin and tossed it to him.
He caught it deftly and curled his lips upward.

“Thank you very much.”
“That includes the transfer fee as well.”
“Of course.”
“So where is it?”
“Have you heard of the ‘Wirang’s Indulgence’ in the black market?”

Wirang’s Indulgence.
It was a famous tavern in the black market. A large establishment that distributed all the alcohol produced in the Empire, it was a place anyone who had been to the black market once would know.

“It will be held in the basement of that tavern.”
“I see.”

It matched the information I had.

“Got it. Start with the contract transfer process first. And Polder.”
“Yes. Yes.”

I handed him two gold coins. His eyes widened as he looked back and forth between me and the money.

‘You worked hard. Go on.’
“Now leave the contract and get out.”

At my words, he handed me the contract and hurriedly left. I watched Polder leave, then glanced sideways at Iris.
She was staring blankly at the iron gate Polder had exited from, a look of bitterness on her face as if she had been abandoned.

I wondered what kind of consolation I should offer. This was already a heavily scarred child.
Sensing my gaze… no, my Intimidation, Iris looked up at me. I spoke as I met her eyes devoid of hope.

“Don’t make that face. It’s unsightly.”

What kind of thing was I saying to a child?
Judging by my words alone, I seemed more villainous than Polder.

“I’m, I’m sorry…”

Iris flinched and repeatedly bent and straightened her waist. She grimaced each time she moved, as if in pain.

“…Do you have any potions here?”
“Potions? We do have some. For when the slaves get injured.”
“Bring a decent one.”
“Understood. Please have a seat here.”

He pointed to a table for guests. I nodded and sat down on a chair in front of the table.
Iris stood next to me with her ears flattened, tightly shutting her eyes and shaking her head slightly.

“Sit on the chair.”
“But… I’m a sla, slave…”
“Not anymore.”

She glanced at me furtively before sitting beside me. Her tail swished slightly.

Soon after, the slave trader brought a potion and a tool for branding slave marks, similar to a large stamp.
He immediately handed the potion to Iris.

“Drink it.”

Iris stared at the bright red liquid in the bottle, then shut her eyes tightly and gulped it down.
Her expression improved. It seemed the pain had subsided.
Unfortunately, the swelling didn’t immediately go down. It would likely take some time.

“Its effect doesn’t seem too great.”
“What do you expect from a potion meant for slaves? If you want a good potion, you’ll have to go to a church.”
“I suppose so. How much for the potion?”
“Fifty copper coins, sir.”
“Expensive.”

For an effect like that, it should only cost around twenty or thirty copper coins. Was he trying to overcharge me by double? Even after I gave him a tip?

“What can I do? This is my establishment. The prices are up to the merchant’s whims.”

I had no rebuttal. That’s right, as long as I could rescue the heroes, what did anything else matter?
Reluctantly, I handed over fifty copper coins and the slave contract. As soon as he received the contract from me, he burned it. Then he immediately lifted Iris’s shirt and placed his hand over the branded area.

“Eeek!”

Iris grimaced and shut her eyes tightly, tears welling up from the embarrassment.

“Do it.”

The slave brand embedded in her body gradually disappeared.

“Now, would you like to sign a new slave contract? I’ll need a drop of blood.”
“No, it’s not necessary.”

I stood up and checked to confirm the slave brand near Iris’s chest had disappeared. The brand that had been engraved like a tattoo was gone.

“Hm? I thought you were making her your slave?”

‘It would be pitiful to make a child like her a slave.’
“What need is there to make her a slave? If she disobeys, I can just kill her.”

How did such words come out after that filtering?
The trembling Iris beside me started shaking violently. Her teeth audibly clattered.

“But wouldn’t it be easier to manage her with a slave brand?”
“No need.”

The heroes only needed to be raised until they awakened their powers.
After that, they would travel the continent, defeating demons and growing stronger on their own.
My role was simply to ensure the heroes survived until then.

“Let’s go.”
“Yes… ma, master.”

As I started walking, she hurriedly followed. It seemed she was afraid I might kill her.

“Don’t call me master. I have no intention of being your master.”

I said as I opened the iron gate.

“Bu, but…”
“Please visit us again.”

I didn’t respond.
Unless the heroes were captured and brought here as slaves, I had no reason to visit this place again.
As soon as Iris exited, I closed the gate and ascended the stairs.

“Iris.”
I stopped halfway up the stairs and looked back. Iris, who had been following behind, fidgeted as she answered.

“Yes…”
“You are no longer a slave. Live like a human.”

Her eyes widened.

“This is my first and last order to you.”

With those final words, I resumed walking.
Her response was unnecessary. Because after hearing my words, Iris was silently crying.