“Hoho! What a bold answer.”
He laughed heartily and bent down to meet my eyes. His gaze was full of amusement and warmth.
“Little one, shall I help you get out of here?”
“How?”
“Just like you said—my hobby is buying the ones that catch my eye… and setting them free.”
“Not keeping them, but letting them go?”
“Exactly.”
Relief swept over me. So this old man wasn’t quite as vile as I’d feared.
Still, no matter how kindly he phrased it—buying someone from this place was the same as feeding money into the system. Keeping it alive. Helping it grow.
At least he didn’t seem to have any malicious intent. That was… something.
I slightly revised my mental impression of the old man and asked,
“Why go to all that trouble just to let them go?”
He lowered his voice, as if sharing a secret.
“Because there’s a small chance that one of them will pledge their lifelong loyalty—someone willing to give their life for me.”
“And if they just leave, grateful but not loyal?”
“Then I’ve still saved a life, haven’t I?”
That checked out. Back when he was still active, the people by his side were known for their extreme loyalty.
In fact, his closest aides were so devoted that people called them his hounds.
What I was wondering now was…
“Is it really okay to say all this to the person in question?”
“I don’t force anyone to be loyal to me. Think about it— if someone still chooses to be loyal to me knowing exactly what kind of bastard I am, wouldn’t that make them all the more useful?”
“Ha. Grandpa, you’re not being honest at all.”
“…Pardon?”
“You just want to save people with a strong will to live, don’t you?”
No one in their right mind would swear loyalty to some piece of trash just trying to use them.
They just followed him because he was someone worth following.
“There’s always a reason when people choose to follow someone.”
“…Are you saying I’m worth following?”
“Yes.”
“Heh. The more I talk with you, the more interesting you become. I wouldn’t be bored with you around.”
Even behind the mask, his softened voice made it easy to picture the smile curving at his lips.
“But if I had power like yours, Grandpa, I wouldn’t be doing what you’re doing.”
“Oh? And what would you do instead?”
Just being here meant this man had power—and wealth, too.
But more than that…
I glared at him through the cage bars and answered with defiance.
“I’d burn this damn auction house to the ground.”
“…Hoho.”
The kindness drained instantly from his eyes, turning icy cold. The air around us grew chilly.
“Don’t get presumptuous, little one. Do you have any idea how many noble houses are entangled with this disgusting marketplace? Even if you had power like mine, do you think you could still speak so easily?”
He had a lot to protect. Stirring up trouble here would only entangle him in unnecessary conflict with too many powerful families.
Finding those with the will to live and freeing them—that must’ve been his last bit of conscience.
I pulled a big, cheerful smile onto my face.
“Well then, Grandpa—how about a bet?”
“…A bet?”
“To see whether I’ll really burn this place to the ground in the future.”
“You? You can’t even guarantee your own survival unless I decide to save you.”
“Exactly. That’s why it’s such an unfair bet. But if you lose, you owe me a favor.”
His eyes dropped to the restraints on my hands.
It looked like he was checking whether the cuffs still had functioning sealing spells on them.
“You’re telling me that, even with your ability sealed, you’re going to reduce this place to rubble? I’m genuinely curious now.”
“Right?”
But there was something this old man had overlooked.
Exceptionally strong abilities couldn’t be sealed with ordinary spells.
And I was one of those exceptions.
“But you’re missing something essential, Grandpa. You haven’t asked for the time frame.”
“Oh? So when will this happen by?”
“As soon as possible.”
“Hmm. That’s… vague.”
He looked away, seemingly losing interest.
Seriously? You’ve got that much money and you’re stingy, too?
“…What time is it right now?”
He must’ve taken it as a final courtesy, because without saying anything, he pulled a pocket watch from his belt.
Click. The lid popped open, and he held the watch out in front of me.
“The central clock tower will chime soon.”
There were only moments left until noon.
I hadn’t realized how much time had passed while talking to him.
“Let’s see. Time limit for total destruction… roughly this much?”
I spread all ten fingers in front of his face.
“Ten years? You want me to wait until you’re grown up?”
“Nope, let me revise that.”
I dropped my left hand, leaving five fingers up—then slowly folded them one by one.
Five, four, three, two, one.
“What are you—”
“Now.”
DING DONG DING.
As the distant chimes of the central tower rang out noon, I smiled sweetly and covered my ears.
BOOOOOM!
Right as I covered my ears, explosions rang through the building, and the structure began to collapse piece by piece.
“Uwaaaaah!”
“Demonic beasts! We’ve got a breach!”
“The building’s coming down—run!”
“Hey! Manager! You can’t just leave us locked up—let us out!”
Chaos. Screams. Panic. While everyone else lost their minds, the old man simply stared at me.
Even he couldn’t completely hide the surprise in his eyes.
“…Was this your doing?”
I reached into my tangled hair and pulled out the key I’d stolen before coming in.
It clicked as I undid the cuffs.
“Something like that. Oh, and making good friends? That counts as my ability too, of course.”
Clink.
[Overwriting Time Slot 1 with current point.]
As soon as the cuffs fell away, I saved the moment and rolled my wrists to loosen up.
Just then, a quadruped demonic beast lunged straight at the old man from behind.
“Whoa—Grandpa, behind you—!”
CRACK!
I gawked, speechless.
Without even turning around, he blew the beast to pieces.
Literally exploded it.
I wrinkled my nose as I stared at the splattered remains.
“Ugh! Grandpa! Did you seriously have to kill it before I could stop you?”
“…What?”
Grumbling about how old people have no patience, I started drawing up my ability again.
“Good thing I’m in the habit of saving all the time. That was my ride, you know.”
[Time Slot 1 Loading.]
I rewound to just before the beast died, then immediately yanked on the old man’s sleeve with all my strength.
“Grandpa—this way!”
He let himself be pulled along without resistance.
Right after we moved, the beast lunged at the spot where he’d been standing and shredded the iron cage like paper.
Then the creature turned to me and, growling affectionately, nuzzled its face against mine.
It was my mount—prepared in advance for this destruction, courtesy of Raspie, to ensure my safety and mobility.
I climbed onto the demonic beast and shamelessly looked down at the old man.
“Oh, and saving you just now? That wasn’t part of the bet. That’s a separate debt.”
“…Wh-What?”
Having thoroughly exploited him to the very end, I burst out of the cage on my beast.
Then, while sprinting toward the cell where Rosemary was held, I shouted back to the stunned old man,
“Well, I’ve got somewhere to be, so I’ll leave first! I’ll tell you my wish next time we meet!”
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