When a Corporate Slave Guy Reincarnated as a Mob Villain (Slave Trader), He Used His Knowledge of the Game to Raise the Heroines to Be the Strongest, Unintentionally Turning Them Into Yanderes, and Before He Knew It, He Was Completely Breaking the Story - Chapter 22-23

Chapter 22: Alice Side 05 – The Reason Princess Alice With Light Attributes Fell Into Darkness

I somehow managed to calm my heart, opened the door, and welcomed Linus inside.

Linus glanced at me and then unexpectedly brought his face closer, staring intently at me.

“What…what are you looking at?”

I felt wary of Linus’s unexpected, intense gaze, but at the same time, my heart raced.

Y-yes, this man…he must be thinking about me…but…I am a slave…so I cannot resist—

If Linus came on to me—

“No…Alice. I was just wondering if you have been sleeping well,” he said, his face showing concern.

Then, Linus glanced at my eyes repeatedly.

I was shaken by his unexpected words and could not respond for a while.

I turned my eyes away from Linus and briefly looked at my reflection in the mirror.

There was a horrible face reflected back, with dark circles under my eyes.

I had been haunted by nightmares for the past three months…ever since that time.

Ever since my father and mother had been killed by the Empire soldiers right before my eyes…

Since that day, I had not been able to sleep peacefully.

Linus had seen through that, and my mind was in chaos.

Panic filled my heart at the thought of Linus, my enemy, knowing my weakness.

However…at the same time, I felt an unexpected sense of relief.

In fact, that feeling might have been stronger.

Somewhere in my heart, I may have wanted someone to understand my suffering.

And, of all people, Linus, my enemy who had made me a slave, had noticed my anguish.

No…Linus had been watching over me and caring for me these past three months.

I had always seen Linus’s face during this time…

That face, which I initially found insidious and despicable, and felt nothing but disgust toward…

Yet now, that face somehow seemed endearing—

Huh!? W-what am I thinking—

“I-I’m fine! You don’t need to worry about me!”

I panicked at my unexpected feelings and unintentionally raised my voice rudely.

“I-I see…then that’s good. I’m sorry for saying something unnecessary…”

Linus looked somewhat downcast when he said that.

Seeing Linus’s reaction made my heart ache.

Whatever Linus’s intentions were, his concern for me must have been his true feelings.

If that were the case, my attitude was extremely rude.

It was not how a royal…a princess should behave.

“A-um…I appreciate your concern. However…I am already an adult woman. I can handle my own matters.”

“Oh, I-I understand.”

Linus’s face seemed to slightly brighten as he said this.

Seeing his face made my heart flutter.

W-why am I feeling this way—

“Cough! B-by the way, what brings you here?”

“Oh…that’s right. I wanted to ask if you would like to go leveling up…I mean, go hunting magical beasts together?”

“Huh!? H-hunting!?”

I accidentally let out a bewildered voice.

Linus’s next actions only added to the confusion I felt toward him.

—

Chapter 23: Alice Side 06 – The Reason Princess Alice With Light Attributes Fell Into Darkness

A month has passed since then.

I am currently exploring deep in the forest next to Linus’s mansion.

Yes…I am doing this to go hunting magical beasts with Linus, as he suggested.

At first, when Linus invited me to go hunting magical beasts, I naturally felt wary.

I thought he might be planning something sinister by taking me to a deserted forest…

However, after observing Linus’s attitude afterward, I concluded that my wariness was unnecessary.

Linus was equipped for hunting magical beasts to an almost obsessive degree and had made sure I was prepared as well.

His attitude did not seem like that of a man who would take me out to the forest to commit any immoral acts.

Linus was clearly serious about hunting magical beasts with me.

It did not seem like there was any deceit or falsehood in that.

So now the question is what Linus’s true intentions are…

I struggled to understand his thoughts.

Why would Linus, a slave trader, engage in the dangerous act of hunting magical beasts with me, his slave?

If he were to order me, using the slave mark, to go hunt magical beasts, that would make sense.

Depending on the type of magical beast, their carcasses are generally valuable.

The meat, hide, claws, teeth of magical beasts…and above all, the magical stones contained within their bodies…all of these are materials for various products.

However, magical beasts are often dangerous creatures, so one must weigh their life against the value of those precious items…

In any case, having me—a slave—do the dangerous hunting of magical beasts, then handing the spoils to Linus, the master, is the usual mindset of a slave trader…no, a human being.

Yet, for some reason, Linus wants to hunt magical beasts himself.

It is completely incomprehensible.

That’s not all.

There is something else that confuses me even more.

It is the equipment I am wearing.

I have changed from the maid outfit I was wearing for so long into another set of clothes.

Yes…I am wearing armor suitable for hunting magical beasts.

It is not unusual to wear armor when fighting magical beasts.

That is…if it were ordinary armor…

However, the armor I wear is anything but ordinary.

After Linus mentioned going hunting magical beasts, a few weeks later, guests came to the mansion.

They were a group of merchants.

They were merchants that Linus had called to prepare the weapons and armor for hunting magical beasts.

Up to that point, there was nothing particularly strange about it…

The problem is with the weapons and armor Linus prepared for me.

Linus showed an unusual attitude toward my equipment.

In the end, I ended up wearing gear that could be called extraordinary.

The equipment I am currently wearing is made from valuable dragon materials.

Dragon Scale Armor, Dragon Claw Gauntlets, Dragon Wing Mantle…

To be honest, this is not something that one can simply buy with money.

Even if you have the money, you can never obtain such gear.

First, you would have to start by finding a merchant.

Linus had deliberately summoned a famous merchant who deals in weapons from far away to the mansion.

I had a vague idea that Linus had been secretly preparing something for the past few weeks.

Because Linus’s behavior had been rather unnatural, I had assumed he was preparing to sell me.

Little did I know that he was actually preparing to buy my equipment…

Finding a merchant capable of gathering such equipment and gaining their trust is no simple task.

It is not as easy as it sounds.

It would be even more difficult for a lowly slave trader than for royalty.

How could Linus, a mere local slave trader, have gained the acquaintance of such merchants?

…Perhaps Linus is not just a slave trader…

He is far too gentlemanly, kind, and well-spoken for a slave trader, and we talk every day, but he is also very educated.

If you look closely, he even seems to have a noble presence—

Wait…what am I thinking!?

Linus is a slave trader who made me a slave and is trying to sell me as a lowly man.

I shake my head vigorously.

Suddenly, the heavy dragon-series armor covering my body clinks and makes a dull sound.

Linus noticed the sound, turned around, and looked at me.

“Don’t worry. I will make sure Alice doesn’t get hurt,” he said, repeating words he had said many times before.

Each time he said this, I felt an indescribable embarrassment.

This is because my current equipment has become so extravagant that it almost seems excessive.