The women I set free are obsessed with me

"Wh-What do you mean the elf disappeared? What nonsense is this!"

The city of Noctar.

Every city has its dominant merchants that control the market, and in Noctar, the Desert Rose Merchant Group wielded the strongest influence.

From the office of this desert merchant group, a voice filled with panic echoed out to the street.

Roperman had been eagerly counting the days until the elf's arrival. But instead of an elf, he received bad news.

His secretary reported:

"An adventurer reported finding the bodies of mercenaries on the path leading to the forest."

"Th-The mercenaries are all dead? Did some demonic beast appear?"

"No. All the bodies had small blade wounds, and the prison bars holding the elf were cleanly cut. We assess that it was the work of skilled assassins."

"Assassins…!"

Roperman was stunned.

To think someone had wiped out the mercenary group he'd hired and stolen the elf. He couldn't imagine who would dare commit such an atrocity.

Was it fellow elves? Or those harboring grudges against his merchant group?

He couldn't pinpoint it.

In the merchant business, you naturally accumulate enemies along with profits.

With no witnesses, tracking them was impossible.

"My slave c-collection…"

Roperman collapsed into his chair, overwhelmed by despair. The chair creaked under his weight, as if screaming.

How much money had he poured into capturing that elf? Just recruiting and providing for the mercenaries had cost well over 200 gold. All that money had vanished into thin air.

On top of that, he had boasted about catching an elf to everyone in town. He had even made promises to show it off to the nobles, bragging loudly. What excuse could he possibly give now?

Roperman sat there as if he had lost everything. Then he suddenly heaved his massive body up in a panic.

"M-Maybe there's a-another elf in the city?"

"In this filthy city? Even if there were, rumors would have spread long ago."

"Well, you can't be too sure, can you? An elf might have come here. L-Look into it for me."

"Understood."

The secretary responded promptly.

Inwardly, he sighed.

As if an elf would be in a city like this.

He figured he would just kill some time and then report that there were none.

***

In the early morning.

True to its nature as a tavern, the Peacock's Night Gathering only opened for business after sunset.

Thanks to this, on mornings when they weren't open, I could enjoy coffee brewed by Victor and eat meals he prepared.

Of course, it was free. After how much I spent on alcohol yesterday, I deserved at least free meals.

I was leisurely enjoying my coffee with a luxurious brunch when it happened.

The kids, bursting with energy that even dogs couldn't match, had wolfed down their breakfast in an instant. They were ready to go out and play from the crack of dawn.

They had so much energy that the sound of them stomping their feet, eager to go out and play, was like a tractor starting up.

"We're heading out!"

"Be careful out there. It's a dangerous neighborhood. Oh, and if you find any girls who want to become slaves, feel free to bring them back."

"Who in the world would want that? Even if we found someone, we wouldn't bring them!"

"If she's cute, I'll buy young Matthew here that sword he's been wanting."

"Maybe we could find one or two!"

Matthew left the tavern with the girls. Already becoming the protagonist of a harem. You should be grateful to me, you know.

After the children left, a gentle peace settled over the tavern. Morning coffee in a place with such a nice ambiance. Now this is what you call romance.

"How long do you plan on staying here?"

Victor asked that question while wiping glasses.

"Master, are you trying to kick me out now? After all I've done for you…"

"H-How could that possibly be true? You're Emily's savior, after all. It's just that you don't seem like the type to stay in one place for long without a purpose."

"Rest assured, I'll be staying for a while. There's no need to worry."

The first stage of Alfia's liberation was here in Noctar. Though I had distorted the story until now, predetermined events wouldn't just vanish overnight.

Until then, I needed to stay here.

At that moment, a forest scent wafted through, gently overpowering the tavern's smell. The scent was so strong that breathing it in felt like being in the forest itself.

Steps.

The sound of someone hurriedly running up reached our ears. Our eyes turned towards the stairs, and Alfia's head poked out.

"Ah!"

Alfia's green eyes widened as they met mine. I gave her a bright smile.

"Good morning, Miss Alfia. Did you sleep well? I was worried when you collapsed while drinking yesterday."

"D-Don't be ridiculous! Why are you so normal? You cheated, didn't you? There's no way a person could be walking around like nothing happened after drinking that much!"

Her words were perfectly logical.

If it had been my original self, I wouldn't be worrying about being drunk—I'd be foaming at the mouth, blacked out.

"That's why I told you, didn't I? It's not a bet but cheating if you know the outcome in advance. Did I not clearly say that?"

Well, tough luck.

I warned her. She was the one who dove in headfirst.

"Miss Alfia should reflect on this. You're fortunate it was me; if it had been someone else, you would have found yourself in a rather precarious situation. Knowing full he would win, yet not demanding a single thing in return. Kya~ What a kind master I am."

"You… You…!"

I took a sip of coffee, savoring Alfia's angry blushing face.

"I-I don't accept this!"

Alfia tried to run away, dashing towards the door.

Where do you think you're going?

If she left like that, it would draw attention. Did she want me to advertise that I stole Roperman's elf?

I tugged on the soul shackles.

Clatter.

"Nngh!"

Alfia suddenly stopped running. She bit her lip tightly and tried to resist, but couldn't budge an inch.

That might have worked for an awakened Mirabelle, but did you think it would work for you?

"Instead of wasting energy so early in the morning, why don't we have breakfast?"

Only after completely blowing off my words and trying a few more times did Alfia realize it was impossible.

As if admitting defeat, she dejectedly walked over and sat down next to me. Her lifeless gaze fell on the table.

Victor pushed a plate in front of her. It was bread with a soft-boiled fried egg. Even though Alfia looked drained, she still spoke up.

"Don't want eggs…"

"Young elf lady, I am sixty-one this year. Even so, to speak so informally…"

"I'm older than you."

"…Excuse me Karami. A slave is speaking informally. Shouldn't you discipline her sternly?"

"I welcome unique slaves."

Victor looked at me like he had been betrayed.

What're you looking at me like that for? I'm always on my slaves' side.

"No eggs. Mostly vegetarian."

"…Understood."

At Alfia's order, Victor went to prepare a new meal. Alfia started munching on the bread.

I rested my chin on my hand and stared closely at her profile. Alfia didn't spare me a glance, silently chewing her bread.

"What are you staring at?"

"Because you're pretty. Even when eating, an elf certainly looks like a sculpture."

"Don't say things you don't mean."

"Things I don't mean? I'm speaking from the bottom of my heart. Besides, didn't Miss Alfia admit it herself yesterday, calling herself super pretty?"

At those words, Alfia whipped her head around. Her braided hair swung like a whip.

"I-I said that?"

"Of course. You even did a cute flower cup pose."

It was half a lie, but that didn't matter. She had no way of finding out the truth. Just one more spoonful and it would be perfect.

"Don't you remember clinging to me saying, 'I'm so happy to be Master's slave'? Was I the only one being sincere?"

"I don't remember anything like that! I would never say such a thing! You were lying after all!"

"Tch."

I guess that didn't work.

It was disappointing, but it was fine. I could raise her affection slowly.

"Could you pass me some water?"

"You have hands. Get it yourself."

"…"

Wow, I could've sworn the world was collapsing for a moment there.

I mean, there were limits, right? A slave… telling their master to fetch their own water? With mixed feelings, I let out a deep sigh.

"Haah, Miss Mirabelle would happily make water if I asked."

"Mirabelle? Who's that?"

"There's a girl I know. She'd create ice for me when it was hot, make water when I was thirsty, and keep me warm with a hug when it was cold. The cutest witch in the world."

"Then get her to do it? Where is she?"

"I sent her to her mother's side. She's probably living happily in a better place now."

Alfia's gaze turned cold, but I didn't care much about that. Water was more important right now.

"Ahh, I miss Mirabelle~ Mirabelle would make water for me~"

"W-Why are you acting like this?"

"Wateeer. Wateeeerrrrr."

"A-Alright! I'll pour it for you! That's all you wanted, isn't it?!"

Unable to withstand my special move, deadly flailing, Alfia poured water into a cup and handed it to me.

"There. Happy now?"

"How inelegant. Don't you have any water made by spirits? I heard spirit water has such a refreshing taste."

"You're unbelievable. Do you think water spirits are wells or something? Besides… even if I wanted to, I can't. Since I can't control spirits."

Alfia muttered in a voice lacking confidence, wearing the face of someone with a lot of baggage.

If a silver tongue was a fundamental skill for slave traders, then handling bows and spirits could be considered a fundamental skill for elves.

However, Alfia couldn't do either of those things. It wasn't that she lacked an affinity with spirits.

The problem is that she's too deeply intertwined with spirits.

Spirits normally chose elves they liked and bestow power upon them, but Alfia was a bit different.

They had inhabited Alfia's body since birth and became a part of her very being.

Within her, spirits of opposing natures clashed, and Alifa alone shouldered all of the pain they caused.

It was said that the pain lessened when she drank because the spirits would get drunk too. That was why Alfia became an alcoholic. Because of this, she spent most of her days wandering around like a drunkard.

Can't control spirits.

Can't use a bow.

A trash-tier elf.

Ostracized with no friends. Driven to the outskirts of the Great Forest. All she did was spend most of her days stumbling around drunk.

What a pitiful backstory for a character.

Not a beautiful, smart older sister, but the hikikomori NEET older sister next door. That's Alfia.

Well, thanks to that, I had a rough idea of what needed to be done just by hearing about it.

"If you're done eating, let's go."

"Huh? Why?"

"We have somewhere to be."

Time to make this useless elf into a functioning person.