The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Chapter 54: Expert Blacksmith from the Slave Market

For these past few days, I have stopped searching for the mirrors using the gate.

Continuing to live freely while taking requests, I go out for a walk.

Shuya Kagari enters a different world, a back street path.

I walk happily while feeling the refreshing winds and there is a reporter type of feeling.

I see the condition of the people who live in the city as I walk around.

A place washing leather using a washboard and pail, laundry is being air dried or dried with life wind magic. There seems to be small jointly owned gardens. There is a person cultivating the ground while watering it with magic.

A small side door of a general store is opened and I peep inside. There is betting revolved around boxing in a barred in the area, bodice, a beautiful prostitute with curly hair and a sleeveless jacket…

I walk through the downtown area of 【Fort City Hector】 with such a feeling.

The sewers are maintained and there are public restrooms available. There is no scene of shit being thrown into the street.

Yosh, this is enough for today, I will not walk much more.

Today is the day I will be receiving the armor I ordered.

I am going to Zaga & Bon’s shop once I get a little exercise.

I go ahead through the small alley to the residential area’s vacant square.

Pieces of cloth are spread out between the eaves overhanging the alley.

The ground is dark, and even though it has not rained the air is humid.

However, I do not hate it. I calm down slightly. This is because I hear the laughter and voices of people working under the cloth roofs.

An atmosphere peculiar to downtown.

While I am enjoying the calm, the vacant land spreads out in front of me.

There is a cloth roof before the small alley I pass through.

The vacant land that exists all alone.

I am not here for radio exercises; I am here to train. (TL: During the summer in Japan elementary aged children go out to nearby parks in the area to do radio broadcasted exercises. They get a stamp for doing it and local shops may give them something small as a reward.)

“Rollo, I’m going to train, so you can play.”

“Nya.”

Rollo calls out lightheartedly and jumps down from my shoulder.

Like that, she walks along the wall of the residential area.

A few hours later-

Rollo does not return even after I have finished training.

Ara? She normally comes back immediately.

While whistling, I walk in the direction that Rollo disappeared.

At that time, the laughter of children comes from around the corner.

I head there.

Ah, there she is. Rollo is playing with children.

They seem to be racing.

Rollo lets the children catch her.

She licks the children with a *pero-pero* when caught.

The children and happily going *kya-kya-kya* and putting their faces in Rollo’s belly and going *fuu-fuu* in retaliation.

Haha, the children’s smiles are good. They seem happy playing.

It is unfortunate for the happily playing children, but I whistle to Rollo, letting her know I had come.

Rollo’s ears immediately stand up straight in response to the whistle.

She turns her small face to me and stops playing with the children, running back to me.

Rollo rubs her head against my leg and then climbs up my right arm before taking up her usual position.

The children gather too, tempted by Rollo.

“-Waa, your face is flat. Is that your cat onii-chan?”

“Ahaha, it’s good, riding on the shoulder~”

“-Me too, me too~”

“Onii-chan is tall~”

“Naa, onii-chan, let’s have a ‘throw’ match.”

I introduce myself simply with a smile.

“That’s right. This cat is my Familiar, my pet.”

“N, nya.”

Rollo speaks too.

“Heh, ama~zing. She answered.”

“N, is she saying yes or no?”

“Ryoryo, baka, ” (TL: Uh, I give up on the second part まほうのせいぶつとか、めしつかいのことだよ)[ED: WELL….]

“That’s right, Tatan is smart~”

“Heeeh, amazing onii-chan, are you popular?”

“That’s right.”

I talk boastfully to the children.

“-Oooh.”

“Amazing.”

The children look at me in surprise and with eyes full of excitement.

Playing with kids like this is good, but I need to go to the Dwarf’s shop.

“…Well then, I have somewhere I need to be, so bye~”

“Eeh, don’t go.”

“Bye~”

“Neko-chan, bye.”

“What about the throwing game~?”

Although I wave a hand.

“Sorry. I have to go.”

Saying so, I part from the children and head towards the shop of the dwarf brothers.

I hear the voices of the children behind me saying “Good-bye” in imitation.

Now then, I am excited about the armor I ordered.

What will it be like?

I walk through the alley with a grin.

On the way, I get lost but back track to the main street and somehow remember the way.

And then, I arrive at the dwarf brother’s shop.

“Encha? Enchant!”

“Nn, Nyao.”

Bon meets us when we approach the store.

Rollo makes a rumbling sound when she sees Bonn and jumps from my shoulder.

She is running towards Bon.

Bon seems happy loudly exchanging words with Rollo.

“Haha, what a strange conversation.”

Thereupon, Zaga appears from the shop.

“Oh, I was thinking Bon was being noisy and it’s Shuya? Mou, the armor is already made. Come in-“

“Yes. Rollo, I’m going inside.”

“Nya.”

“Enchant.”

Rollo returns to my shoulder.

Bon comes along as well.

Entering the shop, I am led to a desk.

The new armor I ordered is placed there.

This is the armor that Zaga and Bon built for me.

It has a wonderful appearance.

Around the neck is a white soft looking collar that gives it a high-quality appearance.

There is a round pauldron attached to the right shoulder. From the right elbow to the shoulder section, is a cylindrical part made from the carapace.

This shoulder section is great.

There is no ruck sack, but I want to do a shoulder tackle.

It seems the chest part uses the octagonal piece of the armored commander ant’s carapace.

The bare minimum, it is made to only protect the heart.

Furthermore, there is a faint magic formation on the surface of the carapace, the image of a white spear is on the octagon.

Heh, this picture is good.

However, the enchantment section stands out.

It is the only part with high mana density.

A line of mana is joined to the surface creating a honeycomb pattern… I think this is the work of a tremendously skill enchanter.

I can tell even with the eye of an amateur.

The carapace is joined in several places with fur and metal.

The tassets around the waist are firmly made, it looks like I will be able to move my legs freely too. Twofold and threefold leather belts are attached to the side.

They come together to make a fluctuating small form.

This is carefully made, Amazing. As expected of craftsmen.

It fits without needing to tighten the side belts.

The surface is smooth too.

Blue leather. Aah, this is the hide from the tiger I had.

Even if I twist my waist, there is no discomfort.

It has a high affinity with the cuirass made from sea dragon from the old days that makes it look good.

Pale black gloves were prepared so I try putting them on.

There is a hole in the left wrist.

They seem to have made a hole for the chain as I requested.

The wrist of the gloves has a leather worked pattern of flashing lightning.

“How is it?”

“Thank you. I am completely satisfied.

“Is that so. Then it was worth making. Right? Bon.”

“Enchant~”

Raising two fingers, it is slightly altered?

Pouting, my forehead creases.

Bon has a triumphant look.

“However, it really is wonderfully made. The design on the chest is good, what is the magic like thing on the back?”

“Bon’s enchantment. it seems to be a fused magic of divine light protection and physical protection. I do not understand the specifics, but I think it means your defense should increase. By the way, the spear design is my original.”

So, it is Bon’s enchantment. Bon is a prodigy.

The picture is good too. These dwarf brothers are more than common blacksmiths.

“The design is good. I can tell that Bon’s enchantment is great.”

“Maana.”

“Enchant!”

“Bon seems happy as well.”

“Yes. Ah, this is the cost in gold coins. Zaga and Bon, Thank you very much.”

I hand over the gold coins.

“Ouyo. -Certainly.”

“Enchant.”

“Well then. At once, I am going to go exploring with this new armor.”

“Gahaha, show it off, I’ll make you something again if you bring good materials.”

“Yes. Then-“

“Nyao.”

Enjoying the indescribable smell of new armor, I walk through the street with the big market along with Rollo.

The market has various stalls; people are milling about in confusion.

There is a shop specializing in fur and leather shoes, a stand selling cakes with roasted chestnuts, a shop selling clothes is next to a shop selling food.

At any rate, it is all disordered.

In addition, the shops that are here vary day to day, a competitive market place of a random nature.

This market, is kind of like the malls in Southeast Asian and Latin America…

If there is a shop selling ramen I will immediately go there.

Oh, skewers.

There are meat-skewers being sold in one of the stalls.

It seems to be the breast meat from a deer type monster.

With onion type vegetables and meat, the fragrant smell of meat juices is appetizing.

-It looks good. I buy some.

I buy a share for Rollo and myself.

While eating the meat skewers, amongst the crowd of various qualities of customers, I stroll indifferently.

When I walk out of such a market, I see a big long carriage stopped at the edge of the market.

N? That is an especially large carriage.

It feels like the carriage has been remodeled magically with metal and It looks like a coffin.

The slave market is in front of it, is it somehow related?

I move to the side of the peculiar carriage.

Next to it is a coat of arms with the design of a horse with one horn.

The unicorn is drawn in red, yellow and white.

Is it a family crest? Or maybe the logo of a company.

It stands out, the owner might be a special person…

When the back door of the carriage opens, a wooden ramp is lowered to the ground.

There comes a young man wearing clothes appropriate for a noble, and a long-haired elf with silvery hair wearing a black slave collar steps firmly down from the ramp.

Silver hair and pale skin?

N? She is wearing a silver mask over the left side of her face?

The noble-like man that I had identified as a slave trader has silver hair reaching his hem. Their hair is more appropriate for an elf than a human.

Furthermore, this is my first time seeing such pale skin on an elf.

I can tell she is a slave because of the black collar but unlike the other slaves her hands and feet are not restricted.

Continuing from behind are people of various races with black collars around their necks and shackles around their hands and feet linking them together.

The group lead by such a slave dealer heads to the corner with the slave market.

I am curious so I follow them.

That slave trader and pale elf, they seem to be putting the slaves up for auction.

They are being evaluated with sharp eyes.

Occasionally, he speaks to the silver haired elf for advice.

The other merchants seem to acknowledge the superiority of this slave dealer…

Everyone, while whispering, is turning cold eyes to the newly arrived slave dealer.

Some slave dealers back away to avoid him.

They split before the noble looking slave trader like the Red Sea before Moses, the streets become crowded.

Who is this slave dealer…

Men dressed in the same way see the slave trader with the appearance of a noble with his entourage of slaves and approach him.

What are they going to talk about?

I am extremely curious.

At that moment, I make eye contact with the beautiful pale elf.

Half of her face is covered with the silver guard, but I tell from her exposed pale skin that she has a beautiful face.

Mana is circulating in one eye that is a brilliant silver.

That pale elf…she seems to able to use magic observing eye.

I keep mana in my eyes as well and approach while straining my ears to hear.

“Keragan Kyaneras-sama from 【Oath of the One Horn】”

“Dodgness. 【Hector’s】 outdoor market is the same as always. The market surely is big but the shops are much too disorganized.”

The slave dealer called Keragan Kyaneras talks while looking around the market with blue eyes.

“Yes, however, the market hear is treated considerably well in the taxation system, so it is convenient for slave traders.”

“This crowd. I will be like that.”

The slave trader called Dodgness is rubbing his hands together in a submissive attitude, and turns sharp eyes to the silver haired elf behind Kyaneras.

“…Are you selling today? Buying?”

Dodgness speaks to Kyaneras in a wheedling voice.

“Selling today. N, are you worried about the eyes?”

“Eeh, yes. Possibly, is the person behind you an illusion?”

When Kyaneras hears him, he nods in satisfaction.

“That’s right. As expected, you noticed. This isn’t an ordinary elf, it’s a dark elf. Don’t you want me to sell you this slave? Now, the slaves behind me need to be sold as well.”

“…I see, well then, would you like to bring the dark elf to the underground auction?”

Heh, that elf is a dark elf?

Her skin is pale instead of tanned.

Ah, our eyes met again.

This is good, right? Her body is wonderful.

However, I am interested in the conversation between the slave dealers so I disregard the eyes.

Kyaneras faces Dodgness with a triumphant look.

The corners of his mouth rise and he grins and arrogant smile.

“…Naturally. It cannot be seen it the market, you could say it is a value equal to a high elf. The price will jump considerably in the underground auction.”

Kyaneras looks away from Dodgness and smiles at the dark elf.

When the dark elf notices his eyes she averts her gaze from me, and looks again at Kyaneras.

She lowers her heads and stays silent.

“Fumu. Dodgness. -How much would you buy such a thing for?”

Dodgness is upset by Kyaneras’ question but removes a parchment from his chest.

“Y, yes, wait a moment.”

“Understood. It’s a mixture of good and bad, but the price is expected.”

The slave dealer Dodgness is evaluating, so he extends the thin metal stick in his hand and begins to look over the slaves that are chained together.

He makes them stick out their tongues and open their nether regions, he keeps picking at their bodies with the thin stick.

When he finishes examining them, he smoothly writes on the paper with a pen and returns the Keragan Kyaneras.

“I’ll buy all of them. How about this?”

Kyaneras receives the parchment and looks at what is written, and his eyebrows twitch in response.

“…Hou. Didn’t you estimate them very high? …Dodgness. What is your request?”

“Eeh, isn’t it good? I also want to attend the underground auction.”

Kyaneras nods a few times.

“Fumu, fumu…Dodgness’ qualifications are first class?”

“Yes. Since last year.”

“Since that’s the case, here…”

Kyaneras takes a pen and begins adding to the paper Dodgness wrote on.

“Na… I understand.”

Dodgness is staring at the paper Kyaneras is writing on as greasy sweat begins to drip from him. Shaking himself with the feeling of it being inevitable he begins to write.

“…Can you take this out? It seems you want to attend very much. Yosh, the transaction is completed. Take this, with it you may enter my house. In the cold months of winter, come to my mansion in 【Pernette】. The important auction is being held ninety days from the end of the year. You should come sooner than that.”

Something is handed over.

“Yes. I will be there. Thank you very much.”

“Well then, carry the gold coins to the carriage. You- (Slap)”

Kyaneras turns around and claps.

He gives simple instructions to the slaves he owns.

The slaves are directed by Kyaneras and walk to Dodgness who purchased them for a large sum.

It seems Kyaneras sold the slaves in his possession.

The slaves Dodgness bought become two lines.

After instructing the slaves, Kyaneras returns to the luxurious carriage with the dark elf.

When she returns, I think the dark elf may have looked at me for a second, but it must be my imagination.

This is my first time hearing a conversation between slave traders, it had a lot of information.

There is such a world.

At any rate, I am curious about the underground auction that came up several times.

Before she died, Kuna said she bought the item box from the underground auction, it was also written in her notes.

It seems to be held in Pernette…I have a slave trader’s certificate too, am I able to participate?

While contemplating, I look at the sold slaves.

A strong looking man and woman are bought immediately.

“Onii-chan over there, are you buying?”

While I am looking at a slave, a trader calls out to me

“N? I’m not interested right now. Sorry.”

“Is that so, there’s a broken-down adventurer soldier, but there’s also a beastman warrior who can take out a magic doll on his own.”

There is a tiger faced macho man wearing a collar.

After staring at the state of the slaves for a little, I pass on.

If they are going to be usable they must be “beautiful” and a “woman”… [ED: Thinking with his dick…]

Now then, let’s go.

I want to try using the spear while I wear the new armor. I guess I will train.

“Rollo, let’s go to the vacant area.”

“Nnn.”

Only purring, is it because Rollo ate the meat skewer, she crawls into the hood hanging down my back.

Rollo seems to be sleepy. Ma, I can still go to the vacant land while she is sleeping.

I head to the vacant area I found the other day.

I arrive. I make sure the surroundings are clear with presence detection.

-No one is there.

It is the place where the cat convention happened the other day.

The wide space with nothing other than the big stump.

“Rollo, I’m going to train so you need to get up.”

“N, Nyao.”

Rollo moves from the hood to my shoulder.

She jumps to the ground, and after stretching out her forelegs with her chin up she runs to the stump.

While Rollo stares at me from the stump with her feet together like a doll, I begin training.

Running, swinging the spear, jumping, thrusting up.

I move my body vigorously to check the status of my new armor.

I can move the spear as smoothly as normal.

There is no sense of discomfort with the new armor. Then, I stop moving for a moment.

Tomorrow is finally the day of the Evil Dragon King extermination.

Starting from the basics- I begin to release consecutive normal thrusts.

In the middle, I add in <Thrusts>.

-From <Dark Drill> – Thrusting, without leaving a space, an ordinary lunge.

The delay before <Dark Drill – Magic Spear Break> makes consecutive stabs possible.

Next is spear sparring-

Twisting, turning on my toes, I make full use of my foot work.

Assuming all of these, I perform connected attack training.

The <Super Light Brain Buff> I got from the 【Training Course】 is great.

Every time I practice the “Toe turn” evasive maneuver, it becomes sharper and my ability to dodge improves.

I also do training that makes use of the magic sword in my movements.

I move my arm in a slant with the sword, being aware on the meandering type.

I have outstanding stamina so I do not need to worry about getting tired.

I train the spear and sword in earnest without a particular goal and end up spending most of the day training.

◇◇◇◇

The next day, I head the square of the War God Vaisu where we are supposed to meet for the evil dragon king subjugation request.

The location is like a big park.

Rollo jumps from my shoulder and runs ahead.

Again, did you find something?

I quickly chase after Rollo.

I discover a place that seems like an entrance.

There is a statue of an old man dressed in a gown, indeed a statue that looks like a god wearing armor and with a sword in his hand is on either side of the entrance.

Rollo climbs onto on the statues and is aiming to climb onto the bald head.

“Ara, a cat.” “It really is.” “It’s awfully fast.” “Hou.” “To climb onto wise man Rabius…” “However, it’s pretty cute.”

…She is attracting attention.

Adventurers are noticing Rollo.

The number of adventurers suddenly increases from here.

Everyone seems to be here for the same reason.

I call Rollo while feeling slightly embarrassed.

“O-i, come back.”

“Nya.”

Rollo immediately returns to her spot on my shoulder.

“Rollo, behave yourself a little. We’re heading to the place where everyone is gathering now.”

“Nyao.”

I have such an exchange with Rollo.

“That cat is cute.”

“I want a cat like that.”

“Awfully obedient. A familiar?”

“I wonder? Let’s go.”

With such a feeling, the black cat and I attract attention for a while.

Scratching my head while being embarrassed by people looking, I follow the adventurers.

In the center of the open space is a circular open air theater.

Heh, it has the feeling of a dramatic opera.

People that look like adventurers are gathering there, one after another.

-So, when I walk to the meeting place, I am called out.

“Shuya-“

The source of the voice, was Quiche with a translucent smile.

Quiche Bakunda.

The white and emerald green knight armor, I look at it, green greaves type.

Her seductive rocket breasts are concealed. (TL: I don’t…why author-sensei?)[ED: Kill me please.]

Her perfectly aligned white teeth. After all, I am healed. (TL: I think he means from the fear Kuna caused him. I know you’ve all been worried, but Shuya’s penis is ready to fight to!)

“…As I though, Quiche is also participating in the subjugation.”

“Nya.”

“Aah, of course. Shuya has also brought Rollo, you have come here to participate?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Good. Shuya and Rollo are strong. This is reassuring.”

Rollo seems happy, she lifts one leg and claps my shoulder.

“Nyaa.”

“Maa, I intend to fight.”

“Aah, that’s right. I also will get reparation for the lives taken, my home, my family, those I buried.”

Quiche’s eye become clear, colored with hatred.

“…Shuya will be participating solo?”

“That’s right.”

“Then, I am participating solo as well. Let’s go to the meeting place together. The guild master of the adventurers and marquess-sama seem to have already arrived. In addition, there are members of this city’s knight order on the dais as well.”

“Understood, let’s go.”

I accompany Quiche to the circular venue.

Several hundred have already sat down and the place is nearly full.

It seems we are standing at the back of the procession.

It is noisy with the sounds of rustling and talking adventurers.

Looking at such a seated audience, every person looks strong and powerful. There are also many beastmen.

Oh, it’s Sarah. Crimson Tiger is participating too.

Over there is a famous mixed adventurer clan of humans and beastmen. I think…they are the B rank 【Shaffer’s Battle-axe】. Most of the members are combat slaves. On the other side is the similarly B ranked 【Crimson Tiger’s Tempest】. The ones to them with the black and red robes are the B ranked 【Aria’s Wanderer】. Oh, there are even more big shots. The magic user duo is the S ranked 【Ice Mausoleum of Blue Waters】.”

Quiche explains.

“Heh, you know a lot.”

“I also have been an adventurer for several years, the adventurer clans I just brought up are not only here in 【Hector】, they are adventurer clans know in areas to the east.”

“Is that so. I didn’t know. I’ll remember what you told me.”

As for Quiche, does not know such a thing? (TL: Not sure, so I left this translation literal.) Such a look is on my face.

Without minding it, now I look at all the famous adventurer clans that Quiche mentioned.

The leader of 【Shaffer’s Battle-axe】 is a giant hairy beastman.

There is a characteristic mark on the beastman’s chest.

He is covered head to foot in fur, only on his chest is there a black ring of burnt skin, the hair is gone.

All the members are slaves sold the other day, they have “collars,” is the scar burned into their chest proof of slavery…there is a female magic user to the side as well.

Only this women’s chest is unharmed.

This woman might be the master.

I cannot make out her face from this distance.

The faces of 【Crimson Tiger’s Tempest】 are as beautiful as ever.

Conversely, Butch-shi is the only one with a grim look and it creates a good balance.

【Ice Mausoleum of Blue Waters】 is sitting in the front seats.

As Quiche said, there are only two of them.

Going by their appearance, I think they are twins.

They look human, but they are awfully short and their fair skin stands out.

A magic user duo.

Then, I move my eyes to the platform.

Soldiers wearing black masks are standing guard on both sides of the platform.

The black mask wearing guards are built like pro wrestlers. They are carrying executioner’s axes in both hands, watching the audience attentively.

They have a guard like feeling.

At the center of the stage is a noblewoman with her retainers, she must be the sponsor.

On her left is an old man dressed in a dark blue cloak and a female magic user.

N, -That is Eris.

Eris is at the left side. She is standing next the old man in the dark blue cloak.

The old man is not speaking to Eris and is instead talking to the noble woman on his right.

Standing as guards to protect the noble woman on both sides and behind her is an old soldier with grey hair and the lady’s beast maid who looks young.

Knight-like people in blue armor are sitting next to the nobles as well.

However, that noble woman is having a long conversation with that old man…

Blond hair and blue eyes. Beautiful porcelain skin.

Her face looks like a doll’s and her nose ridge is long…

Possibly…no, that would be impossible. The noble woman is wearing a blank mantel edge with silver over a crimson velvet dress that hides the lines of her body.

The black mantel is reflecting the light because it is covered in jewels.

Noble woman, old soldier, beastwoman…

I have seen that face somewhere before.

-Aah, I remember.