"Here, the two million Aul as promised."
I handed two platinum coins to the effeminate slave trader and took back my eighty-thousand-Aul advance, cloth bag and all. That was money from my grandfather, after all. Even if I had just struck it rich, I had no intention of throwing it away carelessly.
For the record, an iron coin was worth 10 Aul, a copper coin 100 Aul, a silver coin 1,000 Aul, a gold coin 10,000 Aul, and a platinum coin 1,000,000 Aul. In other words, exterminating that horde of small-fry monsters had earned me a cool one hundred million Aul.
Raking in a hundred million just for clearing out pests that would scatter if I so much as sneezed—it was enough to completely ruin my concept of money.
"Much obliged. Bring her on ouuut."
At the command of the effeminate man, who seemed to be the manager, the men in black suits led the silver-haired beastfolk girl out from the back of the room by the hand.
Not only were her clothes neat, but her complexion was healthy too. It seemed they had actually kept their word to me. Perhaps it was a matter of professional pride, even for a slave merchant. Not that I gave a damn about the ethics of human traffickers.
"I'm Kai Heinemann. Just Kai is fine."
When I held out my right hand, the girl took it timidly.
"I'm... Mew..."
She introduced herself in a small, halting voice.
"S-S-So cute!!"
With a pure white robe pulled over her head as a makeshift disguise, the nuisance princess let out a screech like a bizarre bird and threw her arms around Mew, nuzzling her cheeks against the girl's.
"Huh...?"
While Mew blinked in utter bewilderment, Rose's face flushed with pure ecstasy as her hands fluttered all over her.
"Mmmh! The fluffy texture of these ears! And the fur on this tail is simply divine!!"
"Eek?!"
Cowering in fright, Mew looked up at me with tearful, round eyes, practically begging for rescue.
"Cut that out! What are you doing terrifying a child?!"
Utterly appalled by the pervert princess's sudden, escalating behavior, I grabbed Rose by the back of her collar with my right hand and yanked her away.
"It's all right. This woman is a degenerate, but she's not dangerous."
Offering reassurance that wasn't reassuring in the slightest, I placed my left hand on Mew's head and gave it a gentle pat.
"..."
Mew gave a silent, hesitant nod.
"Let's go!"
Anna offered a gentle smile, taking Mew by her right hand to lead her toward the inn.
"Okay..."
If this had been the Anna of a little while ago, she would have erupted in a fiery rage over an exchange like this. Now, she didn't even bother to interject. That in itself felt a little bizarre, to be honest.
"Kai, would you mind letting go of me already?"
As I watched the retreating figures of Anna and Mew with a profound sense of change, Rose's voice, dripping with indignation, buzzed in my ear.
"Right. My bad, my bad."
I let go of Rose's collar.
"What would you have done if you stretched out my clothes?"
Hands on her slender hips, Rose glared at me, demanding an answer.
"It's your own fault for acting like a creep around a kid."
"All I did was give her a hug, rub cheeks with her, and stroke her fluffy tail and ears!"
This princess truly had a headache-inducing personality.
"By all normal societal standards, that qualifies as being a creep."
"Mmph."
Ignoring Rose as she puffed out her cheeks in protest, I shifted my attention back to the effeminate slave trader, who was still watching us with keen interest.
"Let me give you one piece of advice."
"And what might that beee?"
"The only reason I did business with you today is because you were operating strictly within the rotten, garbage rules of this country. Frankly, I loathe the lot of you from the bottom of my heart for calling a young child a beast and whipping her without a second thought. So if you step even a single toe out of line—"
I trailed off.
The slave traders audibly swallowed hard.
I cast a cold glance over every single one of them, the corner of my mouth twisting upward into a broad smirk.
"—I will grind you to dust. Don't expect an easy passage to Valhalla."
I delivered the declaration in a voice so chilling it gave even me goosebumps.
Every drop of color drained from the traders' faces in an instant.
"O-Of course! We would never cross that line! Never!"
To the effeminate man, who let out a high-pitched, screeching shriek, I added:
"Never forget it. Right now, you're tiptoeing on the edge of a cliff."
Leaving them with those parting words, I turned on my heel and walked away.
I had given my warning. The rest was up to them. Based on the criminal psychology I had studied in the dungeon's library, as long as they stayed in this trade, they were bound to slip up nine times out of ten. Their only real way out was a career change. Deep down, they probably knew that better than anyone.
"What?"
I glanced down at Rose, who was peering up into my face with a bright, cheerful expression as we walked side by side.
"I knew it—you really are my one and only Royal Guard."
"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm only filling in until you find someone suitable."
A mischievous smile danced on Rose's lips.
"You can say whatever you like, but as long as I stay true to my convictions, I know you'll see this through with me to the very end."
She spoke with utter conviction.
"Don't go jumping to conclusions. I'm not such a hopeless pushover. I'll find a replacement as soon as possible and dump the job on them."
Traveling the world at my own pace—that was a non-negotiable goal. I was going to make it happen no matter what.
"Oh, stop pretending! You're secretly thrilled to be the knight of such a gorgeous girl, aren't you?!"
Winking playfully, Rose nudged me in the ribs with her right elbow over and over. I let out a heavy sigh.
"A truly gorgeous girl doesn't go around calling herself one."
I had to admit she was pretty. I could admit that much, but her wild, outrageous personality was another matter entirely. As far as women went, the newly docile Anna scored a fair bit higher in my book.
"Boo! Kai, that is an incredibly rude thing to say to a lady!"
I merely shrugged at Rose, whose cheeks were puffed out in annoyance.
"My apologies. I'm afraid I'm just not used to catering to high-and-mighty ladies."
It was the honest truth. If she wanted that kind of pampering, she would be better off turning to that wildly popular Hero of the Holy Amelia Kingdom.
"Kai... please don't ever change."
She murmured the loaded words softly under her breath.
"Right back at you," I replied, and we continued on our way toward the inn.