Chapter 12: Smooth-Talking Enemy of Men
This woman's facial expressions are quite something-- her face flickers between fear, than surprise, and then she breaks out in the first smile I've seen from her.
"I'm afraid that the truth may disappoint Young Master… I'm an ambassador"
"In all honesty, I'm not an ambassador from a faraway place, but to one. My tribe of Ghouls lived in the nearby Demon's Nest among several other species, but was recently afflicted with some sort of disease, perhaps even a curse, causing them to go mad and even turn on their own kind. I sought help from the great Demon country to the west, but even some of them were afflicted with something similar… No one managed to find any solid proof, but it seems the Church has some role in this. I was sent away since I might have been a carrier, and during my return, I was captured as a common slave."
For the first time, her noble facade is cracking as she tears up at the end, dreading the words she has yet to say.
"... That was six months ago. I no longer hold any delusions that my tribe might have resisted the disease. They're all dead; I know this. I won't ask you for vengeance or anything of the sort, but please, if you purchase me, I have to know what happened. I have to know who's responsible!"
Her eyes lit up with determination as she made the shameless request. Really, for a prospective slave… If it'd been anyone but me, this could have ended quite badly in a number of ways.
But lucky for her, I like that. I *really* like that. Determination in the face of the impossible, the bravery to challenge fate head-on even after experiencing complete defeat. She'll make a fine companion. At least, that shamelessness will fit in well with the crazy knight and sassy birdbrain on my shoulder.
Shooting her a grin, I reply to her worried face. "Heh, I wasn't wrong, after all. Alright Miss, I'll purchase you, and we'll investigate the Demon's Nest together. I've only been in town half a day and I'm already feeling bored, so I'd probably have gone out and done something stupid anyway. All the better for me that it's by the side of a beauty."
'Ugh… I can't believe those memories made me say that, there's no way she'll actually fall for such blatant flattery...`'
Against all expectations, I'm greeted again by a gentle flush of her cheeks-- for a Ghoul, she's quite innocent. Well, if it made her happy, I'm not one to complain; even if what I said was prompted, I honestly meant every bit of it.
"Fufu… Young Master is quite sweet, but you shouldn't say such things so easily. The moment I take off this mask, for instance, that'll be the last thing on your mind."
"Try me." I give the woman an unyielding look, much like her own, and she falters before slowly reaching up with her gloved hands.
"Okay…" She replies, but there's a tremble in her voice, and she's shaking a little. "But Young Master has to take responsibility… and buy me… even if you don't like what you see, okay? You're the first breath of daylight I've had in nearly half a year… Please…"
I give her a light smile, placing my hand on her thigh to reassure her. This girl is quite quick to trust, or maybe she doesn't have any other choice… Either way, I don't intend to let her down.
The white mask is slowly peeled away, revealing the pristine grey-white skin behind. What's left of it, anyway-- several open slash wounds reveal the muscle of her cheeks, and a particularly deep one even shows her cheekbone. Although I'm the last person who'd be disturbed at such a sight, I can't help but feel this anger welling up in me, that someone would dare hurt a woman like this. Hurt my woman like this.
< Warning: Host experiencing incursion of remnant personalities, merge with consciousness imminent. Deletion recommended. >
'...Denied. This is the first time I've felt such strong emotion while retaining my consciousness. Keeping this is a good first step to becoming human.'
Little did I know that my hot-blooded split-second decision would forever change how I spent my time among Humans, perhaps for the better, but that's something for the future.
'Uh-oh, I spent too much time thinking to myself, she's drawing back and probably worried that she terrified me… Uh… Cores! Memories! What? Don't tell me there's not a single man who knows how to treat a woman kindly amongst all the men I've killed… Shit, what should I do…'
In my uncharacteristically panicked state, I raise my hand and caress her cheek. She flinches when I touch her, but doesn't pull back, and I take the time to find her gaze and lock eyes.
"I still can only see you as a beauty. I've seen terrible wounds, and I've seen them healed, too. That's the last thing that'd bother me"
I state it simply, not knowing what else to say but still enjoying the changing expressions on her face. "Now that I think about it, this room is definitely intended for something other than talking…" I pause ambiguously, waiting for the blush to reach her ears before continuing. "Well, our time in here is just about up, but I'd hate to leave them disappointed", and before she can react, my lips press against hers, sucking a little before leaving a trail of saliva as we part.
While she's still stunned, I stand and grin, saying "I'll go complete the paperwork; you're mine from here on. I'm looking forward to our time together."
Really, that woman is just too fun to tease. Things will definitely be getting more interesting from here on out.
…
Purchasing a fellow being is terrifying easy. Those were my thoughts as I completed what little procedure there was, little more than paying the money, filling in a form for store records, and taking ownership of the magic enslavement formation on the back of her neck. I'll have to remove it once my alchemy gets better-- it's no fun if she only sticks around because she has to, after all.
I'm not sure what Damien thought we got up to in that room, since he became even more nervous once he saw that her mask was off, but the relief when I said I wished to purchase her could be seen by anyone. After the procedures, he happily told me that he'll contact me through the Adventurer's Guild if he gets any more "unusual merchandise"-- I swear, this shameless old bastard…
As the Ghoul woman and I walk out of the slave traders, her several steps behind me, I turn to her amidst the looks from passerby; "Now that I think about it, I was so focused on your story that I never asked your name…"
"Mou~~... You stole a kiss and called me beautiful all without knowing my name… Just what kind of man are you?!?"
She almost whispers "... My name's Nemeya, by the way…"
Hmm… The pout of an older woman is quite cute, too… I'll have to tease this girl more often. Anyway, let's see just what good that consciousness merge did…
"Me? I'm an honest man", I reply in a practiced cadance, as if every word I say is truth itself. "I was interested in who you are. Names can't tell me who's brave and who's cowardly, whom I should trust or whom I should avoid. But stories can. Your life can. Nemeya truly is a beautiful name, but can it really compare to the beauty of a woman who's willing to sacrifice everything to save her people?"
< Note: User has received an intent from memory fragments: "Damn smooth-talking enemy of men! We won't forgive you!" >
I smile wryly at the Core's notification, grabbing the stunned Nemeya's hand and pulling her into my embrace, out of the passerby's way. The number of stares we garnered from that weren't few, and a few people even wrinkled their nose once they saw her species, but they were summarily ignored. Except for a few punks who tried to get physical with us as we walked by-- they were promptly initiated into the legendary order of the panda, but escaped before they got more than the bruises over their eyes. Shame. I was kinda hungry, too.
Our first stop together was an upper-class clothing store, and with one look at Nemeya in her current state he got ready to chase us out, but I let the gold coin I was offhandedly flipping around do the talking. I might have overdone it a little, because afterwards he treated the two of us like a noble couple, but it had the intended effect. Nemeya left the store in a cute but modest sky-blue dress, while I carried a number of outfits for the both of us, ranging from stealth and adventuring wear to formal noble dress. Tailoring magic truly is a wonderful thing, but my wallet begs to differ: today's little shopping trip already spent 40 some gold-- almost double what I bought Nemeya for, but we'll keep that our little secret.
Having achieved today's objectives, I quickly stashed our purchases in the Inn room before continuing to explore the city with Nemeya. Seems as if she's enjoying her long-deserved freedom, and I can't say I blame her. Perhaps she's worked up a bit more courage towards me now, because after half-staring at the sleeping bird flopped on my shoulder, the one who miraculously clung on even while I was fighting those punks, she couldn't hold back.
"Is… that", she gestures, unsure of what such an odd creature could be called, "Masters… pet?"
"Heh, only call her that if you feel like getting both of us pecked to death."
I gently nudge the sleepyhead next to me, and Chiia sleepily opens her eyes, looking at me with unmasked annoyance.
"Chiia, this is Nemeya, she'll be traveling with us from now on."
She hops off my shoulder with a "Kuu.." before wandering over and sniffing around Nemeya's legs.
"D- Dr- Dragon tail?!?! Is she a Cockatrice?!"
"Oh, yeah, she is… She's only a kid though, so her petrification ability is still pretty week, no need to be worried."
"Huahhh... The very fact that I'm traveling with someone who can casually keep a legendary monster as a pet is kinda worrying by itself though…"
"Hmm? What was that?" I ask, pretending not to hear.
"Um.. uhhh. Dinner! That's right, Master, I think Chiia is getting pretty hungry, wouldn't it be best if…"
Oi woman, don't go pinning things on the legendary monster unless you want us to be dinner…
"Right this way, m'lady", I say, offering my arm with the movements of a practiced noble; it seems I've taken the memories of quite the womanizer. Damn that Carlton boy. The two of us headed back towards the Inn, grabbing dinner from a street vendor as we chatted about the nearby Demon's Nest.
I tactfully ignored the man in white robes who had been tailing us for the last hour or two-- gotta let kids have their fun, after all.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone