The women I set free are obsessed with me

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It took less than thirty seconds to clean up the situation.

Narsha moved with lightning speed. Her afterimages created a red constellation in the slums, and the residents in her path fell like reeds.

She had only ever held a self-defense dagger as a weapon. Managing the merchant group kept her too busy to learn swordsmanship.

Her becoming such a formidable swordswoman was entirely due to the grace bestowed by her master. Confident she had used that power for the right cause, Narsha sheathed her sword.

She checked for any remaining stragglers. Out of concern for the children's mental well-being, she had only struck vital points, so without the blood they almost looked like they were sleeping.

She brought Lala, who had been squeezing her eyes shut among the warm corpses, and checked on Matthew's condition.

"Are you alright? Can you stand?"

"Um… I think I'll be okay even if I'm not okay."

"Your spirit is admirable, but your injuries are severe. We need to treat you quickly."

With Lala's hand in one of hers and Matthew on her back, Narsha left the slums.

"Where should we go? Is there a hospital? No, in a place like this, a church would be better…"

"We can go to the Peacock's Night Gathering. If Alfia treats us, it'll be done in no time."

"…I see."

Narsha didn't question going to a tavern for treatment. She had a merchant's intuition. If you know, you know.

Following their guidance, Narsha soon arrived at the Peacock's Night Gathering.

Ding-a-ling~

The bell on the door rang.

"Grandpa, we're back."

"You're late. What took you so…"

Victor's nerves suddenly stood on end.

Matthew covered in wounds.

Narsha wearing a rapier.

The aura she exuded was far from ordinary.

An enemy?

Victor lowered his hand, ready to draw his dagger. Shadows flickered.

In the frozen atmosphere, Lala, oblivious to the concept of tension, interjected with a bright smile.

"This big sister saved us!"

"She saved you?"

"Some scary men were bullying Matthew, but then this sister appeared and went super fast, like swoosh, swish, swoosh."

Lala mimicked the stabbing motions, reenacting the scene.

Fortunately, it didn't seem to be what he had feared. Victor sighed and withdrew his assassin's aura.

"Matthew, you ignored my words and went to the slums again. I clearly warned you not to go there because it's dangerous."

"But I had no choice. There are kids there who need help too."

"Even so, you shouldn't go alone. Lala was in danger too. Next time, take Renard with you. That one has nothing but time on her hands."

"Okayyy…"

"Alfia should be here soon, so hang in there a bit longer. And…"

Victor stroked his beard.

"I'm grateful you saved the children, but who might you be, young lady? You seem to be quite the noble person."

"I am Narsha Bryan. I happened to be passing by."

"I see, young lady. Thank you very much. If it weren't for you, something terrible might have happened."

"I only did what was right."

"Your heart is as beautiful as your appearance. Oh my, where are my manners? Please, have a seat. Let me treat you to a meal. Hey, Renard! Come pour some water."

Narsha took a seat, and soon after, an employee dressed as a waitress emerged from the back. Her skin was dark, and peculiarly, her ears were long.

A dark elf?

A tavern with a dark elf as an employee? This was rare even in big city establishments. It was fascinating even to Narsha, a noble.

Could this person be the elf saved by Karami?

She had that thought but immediately dismissed it. After all, the expression of someone saved by Him… couldn't possibly be so rotten.

Renard stared at Victor with an expression that looked ready to spew curses.

"Why should I serve a human? What do you take me for? I am Renard of the Black Mist. Not some tavern employee."

"Too long?"1

"…No, sir."

On the day she had fought Alfia. After cleaning up the bodies of her so-called comrades, Renard had tried to leave but was caught again.

—You can't leave.

—Why not! …sir.

—We're short-handed. With more kids around, this old man is struggling alone. You should help out too. You have the right to refuse. If you think you can escape, that is.

The right to refuse. How generous.

She had thought that for a moment, but it was bullshit. She had attempted to escape for nearly a month but was caught every time.

It was impossible to escape.

With each capture, her workload only increased.

In the end, Renard modified her plan. The old man didn't have long to live, so she'd wait for him to die.

For a long-lived elf, it would be but a fleeting moment, so waiting was no big deal.

Clunk.

Renard placed a glass of water in front of Narsha and left. Narsha stared intently at her retreating figure.

What an interesting tavern.

That was all she thought.

As Narsha enjoyed the food and drink Victor provided, the bell rang noisily, and people entered. A pure forest scent suddenly filled the air.

"Lady Alfiaaa, the spirits keep causing trouble and won't help me."

"When that happens, you need to subdue them with force. That's how you make them listen."

"But the elders said we should live in harmony with them…?"

"Master's words are more correct than those people. Look, I won as Master's slave, didn't I?"

The little elf nodded, thinking it made sense.

"If I become his slave too, could I become like you, Lady Alfia?"

"Of course. So let's practice hard until Master returns."

"Yes!"

It was truly a rare sight.

Even with the Great Forest nearby, elves were known to be a reclusive race, yet here they were, gathering in a human city. If that was the case, then among them must be His slave…

Narsha's eyes narrowed.

It wasn't hard to find.

Only one person bore the face of someone who had been granted salvation.

"Hm?"

Alfia, who had been caring for the children, felt the gaze and turned her head. When her eyes met Narsha's, her eyes widened for a moment.

The instant understanding was mutual. It was a sensation shared only between those who had attained true liberation.

"You…"

"To think I'd meet someone who received His deep grace in such a distant land. What a fateful encounter."

Alfia was wary of Narsha. Of course, she knew Karami had been involved with various slaves before meeting her.

But Narsha was different.

There was a sense of kinship as fellow slaves, but also an aversion born from it.

Wasn't there such a saying? I wanted to be happy, but not this happy. That was exactly how Alfia felt right now.

She wanted the young elves to grow and see a 'similar' perspective to hers, not to surpass her.

Narsha was a kindred spirit who had shared an experience equal to Alfia. At the same time, she was someone who dared to envision a relationship that transcended master and slave.

"Fufu. How cute."

Alfia exuded hostility. In contrast, Narsha covered her mouth with her hand, giving a demure smile.

"Since fate has brought us together, shall we have a chat? I am truly excited to find someone with whom I can share my thoughts."

A formidable opponent had arrived.

Alfia secretly steeled herself.

***

"Who's that pretty big sister?"

"Seems like she's big bro Karami's slave too."

"Her too? Big brother Karami is amazing."

Matthew, whose wounds had been instantly healed by Alfia's spirits.

Matthew, Emily, Lili, Lala, Hanni, and even the elves Alfia had brought.

The children, who had become friends while playing together, hid their small bodies in various corners of the tavern, all staring at one place.

There, Alfia and Narsha sat facing each other across a round table. At a glance, the table almost seemed to resemble Karami.

It was a fascinating sight even to the street-smart children. Renard pretended not to care, nonchalantly wiping tables, but her ears were perked up, and Victor munched on a handful of peanuts.

Outwardly, the situation seemed to favor Narsha.

While the noble lady sat with impeccable posture, the elf had her arms crossed and was shaking her leg irregularly.

The atmosphere felt as if swords would be drawn at any moment.

After a period of mutual probing, Narsha was the first to break the silence. It was the consideration of a senior for her 'junior'.

"Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Narsha Bryan, the only daughter of Count Bryan of the Traul Kingdom."

"Alfia Liliand."

Though she didn't say it, Alfia radiated an intense aura that screamed, I don't like you.

"I've heard until my ears wore out that elves are beautiful, and it's true to the rumors. On top of that, Alfia, you're quite cute too."

Alfia's eyebrow twitched. The word cute didn't sound like a compliment at all.

"You keep saying cute this, cute that. I am older… than you…"

"Than me?"

"Than you…"

"Than me?"

"…"

Alfia, who had been about to say something else, finally closed her mouth.

She realized at the last moment that this would be a fatal blunder. As a woman, uttering those words would be irreversible. It would be the end the moment she said it.

Fortunately, she avoided the worst-case scenario, but that was all. She couldn't find anything else to say.

"Hm~ How cute."

Narsha hummed.

She had been one step away. It was slightly disappointing that Alfia had stopped right before the trap, but it wasn't a bad harvest.

Emotional.

Poor at verbal exchanges.

With just one conversation, Narsha had grasped everything about Alfia. Playing with an opponent whose true nature had been exposed was child's play. A one-sided domination was about to begin.

"It seems you too have received Master's blessing. Looking at you reminds me of the advice I gave Master that day."

"A-Advice?"

"Yes, Master was reluctant to leave my side, but I strongly opposed. I told Him that He was destined to bring salvation to the world. I earnestly advised Him to venture into the wider world and save more people."

"What are you…"

"Thanks to that, you were able to become this radiant version of yourself, Miss Alfia. I was right in my choice after all. I am truly overwhelmed with emotion."

In summary.

You were saved thanks to me.

Without me, you wouldn't have even met Karami.

Now that you know, be grateful.

There might have been some discrepancies in the interpretation, but the core understanding remained aligned.

Of course, it was a lie.

They never had such a conversation.

Karami had left in an instant.

But such was the nature of arguments—information imbalance. Even if you spouted lies, the other party had no way of verifying the truth, and the line between truth and lies blurred.

It was especially effective when the opponent was emotional. As proof, Alfia's eyes shook greatly, unable to find their bearings.

"Master must have led you on the path to liberation and promptly departed. Because He was done with you and had to save someone else."

"Ugh…!"

"To think He would heed my advice so diligently. It's the greatest honor for a slave. I could die without any regrets."

Alfia could only tremble her lips, unable to offer any rebuttal.

With each word Narsha uttered, Alfia's memories with Karami were chipped away. Her precious bond was becoming nothing more than someone else's accomplishment.

It was unacceptable.

"Stop lying! That man and I have sworn a thousand-year vow between us, you know?!"

"A thousand-year… vow?"

"That's right!"

Alfia jumped up, went down to the basement, and brought back a neatly wrapped leaf.

"Look!"

Narsha read the words written on the leaf with uncertainty. Words like reunion, faith, and vow caught her attention. Narsha's eyes trembled, and her poker face cracked slightly.

"See? He didn't leave, he's just away for a while!"

"B-But this alone isn't…"

"I have proof too!"

"Proof…?"

"Yes!"

Alfia suddenly started taking off her coat and top, shamelessly exposing her skin.

Holding her clothes to keep them from falling, she proudly showed off the brand engraved on her flawless, fair back.

"See? This is proof that I'm his eternal slave."

This too was a bluff.

The brand made by the Scroll of Spirit Usurpation was merely a means to control spirits and had no connection to slavery.

But to Narsha's eyes, it looked just like a slave's brand.

At this point, with the soul shackles gone, Narsha had no means to prove she was a slave. When she saw the brand, she even felt a twinge of envy.

"You don't have anything like this, do you? Are you really his slave?"

"Kugh…"

With one attack from Alfia, the situation was reversed.

Narsha bit her lip in frustration while Alfia raised her chin proudly. The corners of her mouth curved into a victor's smile.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the tavern.

"Hey, Master."

"…What?"

Renard, who had somehow ended up sitting next to Victor munching on peanuts, spoke.

"Is being a slave something to brag about?"

"Don't ask me…"

It was a scene that defied common sense.

Victor felt dizzy.