The group of debtors, who had been using the strategy of attracting peddlers with low accommodation fees and then chasing them away by pretending to be ghosts, decided to surrender to Viretta.
It was a pragmatic decision—better to follow Viretta's orders and reduce the interest rates than be sold into slavery.
Of course, this decision ca after Viretta's desperate persuasion, assuring them that "at worst, the only ones dying will be , Iola, and the wizard who knocked you all down!"
The thought of the wizard who had unleashed lightning on people was enough to convince them that it might be worth enduring the risks of joining Viretta’s side.
When they got closer to the village, perhaps other debtors were nearby, and ultimately, around twenty people decided to join.
After sorting out the situation, Viretta finally turned to look at Saffron.
"So, what were you doing? Iola said you weren't around when he ca looking for you."
Saffron, who had disappeared without a trace, had crawled out from sowhere when Moslin's lightning strike knocked everyone down.
He hadn't taken any belongings with him, and the calmness with which he appeared made it clear he wasn’t trying to escape.
However, he had been missing for quite a while, and Viretta was curious about what he had been doing.
Saffron, sitting on a pile of luggage, was organizing food and cooking utensils while twirling his long bangs.
"Heh, I heard sothing about a ghost, so I went to look for it for a bit. If there really is a ghost, I was planning to have a chat."
"A ghost? What would you want to talk about with a ghost?"
"If you’re certain that you can beco a ghost, wouldn’t it be better to hang yourself? It’d be easier than living like this. That’d be a more peaceful way to die."
Saffron gave a chilling laugh and raised the corner of his mouth. He soon lost his eerie smile and replaced it with a look of lancholy.
"But, since I couldn't find any ghost to talk to, I'm still miserably alive."
Viretta nodded cheerfully in response.
"I'll let you know when I et a ghost."
There was sothing in her response that seed to displease Saffron. He narrowed his eyes and glared at her.
"You," he said, his voice suddenly cold.
Saffron, who had been frowning, suddenly made a harsh sound.
"Do you just think of
as a joke?"
"?" Viretta widened her eyes in genuine surprise.
She had no idea where this was coming from. Who exactly was treating soone as a joke?
It was Saffron who had constantly emitted a gloomy aura. Viretta couldn’t understand why her response seed to bother him.
"You mock
by pretending to take my words seriously. Typical behavior from a rich girl, isn’t it?"
"I’m disappointed, Saffron. I’m listening to you carefully! People only speak serious things, you know."
"You seriously think that?"
His glare grew sharper.
"Yes, of course. I only speak from the heart. After all, maybe there really is a ghost."
"You really believe that four people can go hunt a dragon seriously? That’s sothing the country’s rulers would love to hear. I’m saying this for your own good, but you really need to be treated soon. Tch."
Saffron’s tone grew even more heated.
It wasn’t just the debtors who had grown rough in their outlook because they thought their lives were already ruined.
Viretta looked over Saffron’s thinly clad arms and neck. Beneath the clothes, she could faintly see long scars on his skin.
When Count Beckdelace handed Saffron over, he had said a few things.
His parents had gone into massive debt, and as a result, he had lived as a slave since childhood. He was punished excessively for being overly disobedient.
He wasn’t violent enough to attempt killing his master, but he was cynical enough to complain about everything.
For that reason, he had been punished by several masters, making him difficult to handle.
As expected, Saffron had shown his true colors, scattering gloom and constantly demonstrating his passive-aggressive attacks.
Viretta, pushing her short hair back, raised her head proudly.
"I’m perfectly sane. Perfectly sane, I tell you. Difficult tasks are the ones worth the challenge."
"Hah."
"The helpers will cover the expenses, but the net profit from the inco will be fairly divided among us five. That way, you’ll have a ‘happy lucky life’ ahead of you, so hang in there."
Viretta had made up her mind to have Moslin and Saffron as companions.
Given the work they’d do and the risks they’d face, it seed only fair to distribute the profits evenly.
To be honest, she wouldn’t have moved forward without that kind of compensation.
"It might be a tough journey, but the rewards will be substantial. This is a once-in-a-lifeti opportunity to turn your life around."
Even if it ca from a pragmatic reason, it was, after all, a chance to reverse one’s life.
Saffron’s ransom price was quite substantial, considering he had inherited his parents' debts. While the exact amount was unknown, it was an opportunity to clear that debt all at once.
Yet Saffron still remained bitter.
"It’s just paying off the ransom to barely beco free, isn’t it? After all this effort, I’m finally standing at the starting line. There’s nothing more rewarding than this, huh."
It was understandable. The value of money was different for everyone.
Even if the profits were split equally, the sense of it would inevitably differ between Ranken and Viretta.
For Viretta and Iola, the money might just be “a decent amount earned,” but for Ranken, it would feel like “huge luck,” and for Saffron, it would only an “barely gaining freedom.”
Life just doesn’t balance out.
"This goal is too deflating for soone like , a slave."
It had only been four days since they t.
Saffron genuinely began to hate the woman in front of him.
Having lived as a slave since childhood due to his parents' debts, he naturally despised the wealthy.
He was intelligent enough to clearly understand the gap between himself, born to a slave’s child, and them, born to wealthy families.
Life wasn’t about doing things right or wrong; it was just decided by luck.
Their being born into rich families was just luck.
His being smarter than them was also luck.
Or maybe, it was misfortune. After all, all Saffron’s excellent talents seed to have amounted to nothing but serving the fortunate fools.
Having been persecuted for many years due to his rebellious nature, Saffron harbored a deep resentnt.
eting Viretta dleidge was intolerable.
Born the daughter of the dleidge Trading Company, she had lived a life of ease and comfort.
She was a bright and fiery woman without a single wrinkle in her deanor.
And yet, she didn’t hold any sense of superiority, even being kind to soone like him, a bitter slave.
"...Really..."
When he had heard about dleidge’s famous boastfulness, he had thought she’d be an arrogant, clueless young lady. But when he t Viretta in person, she was like the sumr sun—bright and scorching.
Like a warm, intense winter fire.
She was unique, but a good person.
She had ignored the world’s turbulence and gri, staying pure.
So generous and kind that she promised fair distribution even to a re slave, a piece of property handed over by Count Beckdelace.
...And that’s why he couldn’t forgive her.
The fact that she seed untouched by life’s harshness kept stirring Saffron’s insides.
Both Viretta and Iola were unbearable to him.
Unlike him, they were so clearly marked by their upbringing under the sunlight that he couldn’t stand being around them.
In that case, he would rather deal with a haughty, dirty human. At least he could mock them for being nothing but that, even with all their money and freedom.
"I... Saffron. We haven’t known each other for long, but..."
"You haven’t owned
for long, either."
Finally, Saffron’s blatant hostility caused Viretta to show a slightly exhausted expression.
Saffron, seeing her smile falter, felt a bit of relief inside. He was more used to receiving contempt and anger, so it was easier to feel at peace with that.
Because, wasn’t it unfair to offer kindness to soone who seed to have everything in life?
He hugged his luggage tightly and looked at Viretta with disdain.
"I don’t know much about you, and things have been busy lately, so my nerves are on edge, but..."
"So what?"
It was rude, but you couldn’t kill a slave for being rude. Sure, they might get punished, but that wasn’t sothing he feared.
"I encounter provocative things all the ti, but both you and your brother are a bit unique. Since I’ve been a little out of sorts lately, I might have said sothing sharp."
Viretta lightly shook her head and pressed her cheek with her finger.
"I’m usually the embodint of kindness, but you’ll understand if I’m not always like that, right?"
"You may insult
as much as you want. After all, isn’t that what slaves are for?"
The conversation had been long-winded. Saffron twisted his lips and looked up at Viretta.
To look up at the tall Viretta, he had to stretch his neck.
It hurt, but he had no intention of standing up. Saffron stubbornly remained seated, roughly sorting through his belongings.
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