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 26

My mansion is located on the outskirts of town.

To be more precise, it’s actually outside the town walls. So, it’s more accurate to say it’s outside the town, not just on the outskirts.

In reality, it’s closer to the forest than the town.

A small stream flows nearby, and the area is lush with trees and grass.

It’s a peaceful countryside scene.

Five years ago, before I was reincarnated, living in a place like this would’ve been perfect, especially compared to the shabby apartment in the concrete jungle I used to call home.

But in this world, the very feature that makes this place seem rich in nature is actually its biggest flaw.

In other words, where there’s untouched nature, there’s also a good chance of monsters showing up.

The town I’m based in is already in a remote area as it is.

Technically, it’s the capital of a count’s domain within a small independent kingdom.

However, in the five years I’ve lived here, I’ve only seen the count, who owns this land, a handful of times.

All that remains is his overly luxurious mansion in the center of town, while the count himself is always absent.

He probably doesn’t want to stay in such a desolate, far-flung place.

There aren’t any valuable resources around here either.

In fact, just a short distance from the town, a vast unexplored forest stretches out.

In short, it’s not really managed properly, and there’s little reason to bother managing it.

It’s practically left to its own devices.

That’s why, despite being near the town, this area occasionally sees monster appearances.

It’s rare for the really dangerous monsters from deep in the forest to show up, but a monster is still a monster.

Compared to my previous world, it’s like encountering a bear—no, something even more dangerous.

Sometimes, even highly dangerous monsters, the kind you’d encounter in the mid-stage of a game—like a Cerberus—can appear.

In my case, I had the bad luck—no, in gaming terms, the good fortune—of facing one as my first battle.

I thought I was going to die back then…

I glance at the scar left on my body from that time and gently touch it.

At the same time, memories of the past come flooding back.

Now that I think about it, back then, Alice used to struggle against even the weakest monsters around here…No, she was terrified of them.

Alice has grown a lot since then. No, she’s probably grown too much—if a Cerberus saw her now, it would probably run away the moment it laid eyes on her…

Thinking about it that way, five years is indeed a long time.

A lot of things change over time.

But…the one thing that hasn’t changed is my relationship with Alice…she still hates me…

I let out a deep sigh, shifting my gaze from the forest back toward the town, pulling myself out of my thoughts and back to the present.

In any case, this area is close to the forest, but there’s no real physical barrier to keep monsters out.

At best, the small stream might be an obstacle.

There’s hardly anyone who willingly chooses to live in such a dangerous area.

Unless they have a very good reason…

However, despite that, many people live in this area.

As for why I chose—or rather, why I was forced to choose—this place as my residence, it was due to unavoidable circumstances.

Though being a slave trader is legal in this kingdom…

Just because it’s legally recognized doesn’t mean people are emotionally okay with it.

In this kingdom—no, probably everywhere—those involved in the slave trade are seen as lowly individuals by the public.

In other words, slave traders are considered, at best, low-class citizens…at worst, nuisances.

Naturally, I’m not allowed to live in the center of town where the nobles reside, or even within the town walls.

And there are plenty of others like me who aren’t allowed to live within the walls.

Most of them, like me, are people looked down upon by society.

Orphans, the destitute, or non-humans like beastfolk.

And as in any society, those people tend to gather in the outskirts, in places like this.

Basically, this is the slums.

I pull my tattered hood deeper over my face, staying cautious of my surroundings.

I also check for any smells.

…Good…Looks like I can fool their noses with this scent.

There’s a reason I’m being so cautious.

Slums like this, full of drifters, usually have poor security.

This slum was known for being particularly unsafe five years ago.

But not anymore.

Now, the security here is actually better than in the town center.

Even monsters have stopped showing up for a certain reason.

So, what I’m worried about now is something else entirely.

The reason I’m so jumpy is—

“Ah…Master Linus.”

As I’m walking along the path that leads to my mansion, a young girl comes running toward me.

Damn…she noticed me already…

If I remember correctly, this is one of the beastfolk orphans who recently drifted into the area…

She clings to my clothes, her face unusually serious for someone so young.

In fact, she looks like she’s about to cry.

I can’t just pretend I didn’t see her and walk away at this point.

“Um…what’s wrong?”

“Master Linus…why haven’t you come to visit us lately? Do you hate us because we’re beastfolk…because we’re different from humans?”

“Huh?”

“Are you…are you going to abandon me too? Are you going to sell me somewhere? I don’t want to go…I want to stay here…”

The young girl starts crying loudly as soon as she finishes speaking.

By the way, I’ve never been good with kids, animals, or women, ever since…no, even in my past life.

I’ve always struggled to show my emotions.

In simpler terms, I have communication issues.

When touch screens were introduced at restaurants, I was overjoyed. I always used self-checkout at supermarkets and convenience stores.

I hated making phone calls, and I handled everything online or by email whenever possible.

Not that I had many reasons to make calls anyway…

In short, that’s the kind of man I was.

In contrast, children, pets, and women emphasize communication and expressions.

That’s why, whenever I talk to them, I always end up causing misunderstandings.

In my previous life, dogs and cats would bark at me for no reason, children would cry, and women would find me creepy.

And the cat-eared girl in front of me checks all those boxes.

As expected, I’m already struggling with how to respond.

It’s not like I have any prejudice against beastfolk.

They’ve been living here with me for nearly five years now…

But, even if I try to explain that, I doubt it’ll get through to her.

I awkwardly move my facial muscles and say,

“Um…look, I don’t have any prejudice against beastfolk. So, I’m not going to kick you out or anything.”

I try to smile, hoping it looks reassuring.

The cat-eared girl stares intently at my face.

Then, after a few moments, she scrunches up her adorable little face and…

“Waah! That’s a fake smile! Master Linus really does hate me!!”

Her crying gets even louder.