Chapter 173
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Morning came after two nights at Vermillion House, each filled with the same questions. It was finally the day to hand Ms. Sakura over to Martina’s faction.
Frederica woke beside me again, even though she had fallen asleep first. When I opened my eyes, she was already awake and looking at me.
”Good morning. Chu♡” she said and gave me a small kiss.
”…Good morning,” I answered, and her face showed a bit of displeasure.
”Is that all?” she asked.
”If we go further, it may not stop at just that,” I said.
”I don’t mind, but when I think about the town’s safety, we should not go that far this morning,” she said.
We had to deal with the Saint case in a quiet way, or it could harm not only the town but also Ms. Monoka’s orphanage that Frederica supports.
So she chose to focus on that and kept our morning moment short. I could hold back, sure, but after these two nights, I knew Frederica would likely get carried away. With a little free time, she had climbed onto me, moving only her string panties to the side.
It was not only her. Ms. Mizary and the other maids had been equally forward. Berry had stayed away, maybe because it would be bad if we were caught, but she still whispered, “I’ll make a chance next time♡,” before she left. That thought stayed with me.
After we got up, we checked our plan for the day.
”We only need to meet Ms. Sakura and then see Martina and the others,” I said.
”But what if the hardline faction follows us and reaches her before the moderate faction?” Frederica asked.
”It’ll be fine. I’ll disappear before that. You stay here and make it look like I’m still in the room,” I said.
”That part is fine, but how will you leave? The guards watch the windows,” she asked.
”You don’t need to worry. Just let the maids clean up this room after we leave,” I said.
”Alright,” she agreed.
They would open the windows to air out the room after our time together, and I planned to slip out, invisible, through one of them. I had not told her I could turn invisible, so my words stayed vague, but Frederica nodded and followed my lead.
Once she and the others returned to their own room, the maids came in. At the moment no one was watching, I used my Magic Armor to turn invisible and slipped out through an open window.
Leaving Vermillion House, I headed to the dungeon and reached the mountain top where Ms. Sakura should be.
She was already there, examining the red mini tomatoes that had ripened.
I landed behind her, out of sight, and let myself be seen.
Rustle.
”Ah!? Oh, Mr. Koji♪” she said.
She was alert for a moment at the sound of my steps, but once she saw me, she ran into my arms and hugged me.
”Ehehe…” she said softly.
We had not been apart long, yet she was this happy to see me. It showed how much she cared. I felt sorry to send her to the church, but keeping her hidden would harm the town. And I would never hand her to the hardline faction, who were linked to the Norland family.
I would continue to use that town to earn magic stones, so giving her to Martina and the moderate faction to keep the peace was the best choice.
Besides, she could still visit with the black mini tomato to teleport, so she would accept it.
I asked her to get ready to leave.
”Good morning. Are you ready to go?” I asked.
”Good morning. My things are ready, but what about the tent?” she asked.
”It can stay here. We can take care of it later,” I said.
”Oh, right. You can come here easily. Then we wait until we meet the church people?” she asked.
”Yes… huh?” I stopped.
At that moment, I sensed a familiar magic stone signal surging up from below.
It quickly reached the summit, and a figure materialized before us.
Fast steps, then a stop.
”Ah, I thought it was you, Koji,” she said.
It was Ferris, the co-leader of Silver Orchid and the head of their active team.
The 4th District had big company bases, and Silver Orchid had one too, so it was not strange for her to be here. But this timing…
…Not good.
Ferris already knew of my invisibility ability, and even without it, my Magic Armor’s magic signature would be detectable to her. She likely detected my arrival by chance.
I spoke to her anyway.
”Oh, you were here,” I said.
”Hmm? Ah. Yes, for a supply run,” Ferris said.
Ferris looked a bit puzzled by my polite tone at first, but she quickly understood it was because Ms. Sakura was with us and played along.
”So, what are you doing up here? With a girl too. Did you have some fun last night?” she asked, her eyes a little sharp.
It felt like she was also asking why I had left her alone.
I thought for a moment, then chose to introduce Ms. Sakura and explain the situation.
”You are a Saint?” Ferris asked.
”Well… I can only say it seems so for now,” Ms. Sakura answered.
”I see…” Ferris said.
She looked Ms. Sakura up and down, almost studying her. It was rude, but Ms. Sakura seemed to know Ferris’s strength and position, so she stayed quiet.
Then Ferris looked at me and glanced at the small field on the mountain top.
”You kept her here, fine. But those mini tomatoes are already red. Will they become black mini tomatoes?” she asked.
Given Ms. Sakura’s status as a potential Saint, I had previously informed Ferris about her consumption of a black mini tomato for teleportation. I did not explain the result, though.
Ferris now knew Ms. Sakura had heard of black mini tomatoes, so she asked about the new ones I had grown that bore fruit in only two days.
Ferris was already aware of my Magic Armor and Imitation abilities, so concealing this location further was pointless. I nodded.
”Yes. I don’t know how many days it will take to turn black yet,” I said.
”Hmm… so you could sell them and make a business,” she said.
”Please don’t pick them without asking,” I said.
While Ferris herself was not impoverished, Silver Orchid operated on limited funds. They supported many women who needed protection, including those targeted by the Gem Snake, which also acted against the Norland family.
The Norland family, a displaced royal branch, had demonstrated their continued ambition for the throne following the Gem Snake incident. To monitor the Norlands, Princess Charlotte had been secretly dispatched to Dungeon City, where she co-led Silver Orchid alongside Ferris.
Despite having a princess in their ranks, her role remained concealed, preventing the country from offering full support. Money was always tight.
Because of that, if someone picked these and sold them, it would be a problem. As I worried, Ferris slid closer to me.
”I won’t take many. Even one could sell for a high price, right? So… okay? ♡” she said.
She pulled my hand and slipped it into her red qipao from the side, pressing it against her chest.
Ms. Sakura gasped softly, but Ferris kept going.
”See? I won’t stop with only this,” she whispered.
I thought about it while feeling her soft touch.
Black mini tomatoes were linked to Ms. Sakura’s teleport count, so we needed to save as many as we could. But she could only carry a few hidden at a time, so each harvest would be small. If they grew as fast as before, Ferris taking one or two would not hurt.
It would be a problem if news spread, but Ferris would only sell to people she trusted. If she also told them I was the one who found them when needed, she could become a partner later.
Trouble might follow, but with the Norland family and the hardline faction moving, the current side needed more strength. I wanted to keep the current system because I was asking to be seen as a noble whose line had ended. So I agreed with conditions.
”You can take only a few at a time, and if growth is slow, the limit becomes tighter,” I said.
”Really!? Yes!” Ferris said with joy.
”But you must tell me who you sell to. I won’t allow anyone to use the ability for bad things,” I said.
Ferris gave a sharp smile.
”I know. And if someone does, I’ll deal with them myself,” she said.
”Eek,” Ms. Sakura squeaked.
With that strong promise, the deal about the black mini tomatoes was made right in front of her.
Notes:
• Martina – Cleric of Moktaris’ Holy Church, moderate faction. Met Koji in Dungeon City while posing as “Tina,” an adventurer’s companion to secretly investigate rumors of the new Saint. Trademark: long black-hair majime-chan (serious beauty, stiff even when undercover). Later revealed her Church role at Lord Brandl’s audience, warned of hardliners, and recognized Sakura as the Saint.
• Sakura – Orphaned, raised by merchants, later became manager of a women’s apartment house. Met Koji when he sought a room, reluctantly accepted him with Frederica’s backing. Trademark: black-hair kuudere manager (strict outside, shy inside). Revealed by the Ceremony as the Saint of Ten’i (Teleportation Saint), marked by both factions of the Holy Church. Holds memories of a past life in Japan.
• Frederica – The receptionist. The daughter of powerful figure in the town.
• Berry – Frederica’s mother, a Countess. Insatiable and reveals she’s married after the fact.
• Ferris – The representative of Silver Orchid
• Charlotte – The third princess of the Kingdom of Orlando
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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