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 45-46

Chapter 45: Fighting the Empire as a Slave Trader = Suicide

“Mylene…you’re really simple-minded and childish, aren’t you? You have no idea what it means to go against the Empire. Acting like this will only cause trouble for your master’s path to greatness,” Alice said with an exaggerated sigh as she inserted herself into the conversation.

“What did you say…? Say that again, Alice! How am I causing trouble for Linus!? It’s only natural to take the heads of the Empire soldiers who’ve come to invade this town. Or…don’t tell me you’re scared now, Alice?”

Mylene angrily snapped back at Alice.

I had thought Alice harbored just as much hatred for the Empire as Mylene did. However, unlike Mylene, Alice seemed to be much calmer. Maybe she would be able to convince Mylene not to do anything rash—

“I’m not afraid to rise up against the Empire, not now. I’ve been waiting for this moment all along. But I’m pointing out that your approach is reckless. A few dozen soldiers—means they’re just the vanguard. The main force must be somewhere else. It’s more important to take out the main force than to destroy the vanguard. Besides, if we’re thinking about your master’s future ambitions, the first blow we deal to the Empire should be a powerful one. That would make his greatness known, not just to the Empire, but to the entire continent. Don’t you think so, master?”

Alice gave me a sinister smile as she said that, her beautiful face glowing with malice.

“Huh!? Uh…yeah…I guess…”

I ended up giving a vague answer that could be taken as agreement.

In truth, I didn’t really understand half of what Alice was saying. But I had this bad habit of nodding along even when I didn’t fully get it.

“S-so that’s it!? I-I’m sorry, Linus…I hadn’t thought that far ahead…” Mylene said, visibly shrinking.

Seeing her reaction, Alice smirked victoriously.

“That’s how it is, Mylene. Unlike you, as master’s foremost servant, I understand his deeper plans fully. Now do you see? Who between us is more worthy of staying in this mansion by master’s side?” Alice said smugly.

“I may not be as smart as Alice…but even I can be useful to Linus! All I need to do is take the heads of not just the vanguard, but the entire main force, right?” Mylene shouted, her voice filled with determination.

“Hmph…Mylene, you have no aptitude for magic. You might be able to handle the vanguard with those brutish claws of yours, but the Empire’s main force will be hundreds strong. You’re simply not enough. With my magic, I could incapacitate them much more swiftly.”

“That’s not true! It’ll take time, but I can take down a few hundred Empire soldiers on my own!”

“Such a sloppy victory would only tarnish the glory of our master. I could wipe them out more efficiently,” Alice retorted coldly.

Listening to their argument heat up, I finally realized the seriousness of the situation and sank into a gloomy mood.

…This is bad.

Alice wasn’t trying to stop Mylene at all. In fact, she was planning something far bigger, wanting to take an even larger, more decisive action against the Empire.

Come to think of it, Alice’s hatred for the Empire had to be just as deep as Mylene’s. After all, the Empire had killed her family.

The problem was that both Alice and Mylene seemed determined to put me directly in the line of fire. Why were they trying to drag a mere slave trader like me into this suicidal conflict with the Empire?

Wait…Could it be? Is that what they’re thinking?

They’re using me as a convenient decoy, a pawn to shield themselves while they pick a fight with the Empire.

Alice was the princess of a kingdom destroyed by the Empire, and Mylene, though from a different race, held a high position within her tribe. If they raised their banners and openly opposed the Empire, it would surely catch the Empire’s attention as a full-fledged rebellion.

But if a lowly slave trader like me were to stand against the Empire? People would just think I’d lost my mind.

The Empire would naturally conclude that I was just some crazed man defying them. And since Alice and Mylene were my slaves, no one would suspect that they were the ones truly pulling the strings.

If the slaves attacked Empire soldiers, the blame would fall on me as their master. The Empire would assume it was my command.

In other words, Alice and Mylene were planning to use me as a scapegoat to achieve their goals.

From their perspective, if I were captured and executed by the Empire, they would be freed from slavery, and their revenge would be complete.

Two birds with one stone.

“Master…what’s wrong?”

“Linus, is something troubling you?”

I must have looked really pale, as Alice and Mylene were both staring at me with puzzled expressions.

—

Chapter 46: Alice and Mylene’s Eyes Are Shining Mysteriously

“No, no…it’s nothing…”

“Is that so…Well then, as I mentioned earlier, I’ll go and check on the Imperial soldiers who came to the city—”

“W-wait! Alice! I’ll go!”

I spoke, my voice rising in panic.

“You, Master…? But there’s no need for you to go out of your way…”

“No, I…I just want to see it with my own eyes.”

“Then, I shall accompany you—”

“N-no, I’ll go alone.”

“But…even though the enemy hasn’t noticed our intentions, we’re still dealing with multiple armed Imperial soldiers. You can’t possibly go alone—”

“I-I’ll be fine on my own. If it comes to it, I can handle a few dozen Imperial soldiers. Ha-ha…”

I let out a dry, unconvincing laugh after saying that.

“Indeed…I suppose with Master’s strength, even hundreds of mere soldiers wouldn’t pose a problem…But just in case, we should—”

Alice completely ignored my poor joke and kept insisting, flattering me with an absurdly serious face.

As I suspected…Alice really does intend to use me as a decoy in her scheme against the Empire.

There’s no way I’m letting that happen.

“A-anyway, I’m going alone. You two wait here!”

I cut off the conversation forcefully and hurried out of the room.

However, they had been so persistent. I was sure Alice and Mylene would insist on following me, even if they had to force their way.

But when I glanced back, they remained in place, silent and calm.

Relieved, I exhaled deeply. But then I realized I had made a huge mistake.

It was at that moment that I noticed I had unconsciously activated the slave crest.

“Oh my…How many times has this happened now…? You never used it before, but now…Master must be serious, Mylene…serious about facing the Empire…”

“I love kind Linus-sama, but…I also love seeing this rare side of him…Oh, and this feeling…When Master uses the crest, this warm sensation, like we’re connected, spreads through my whole body…I’m becoming addicted…”

From a distance, I could see them mumbling to themselves, staring off into the distance.

I quickly averted my gaze.

But…at that moment, I locked eyes with Alice and Mylene.

For some reason, they both smiled.

They were truly beautiful girls, with smiles that could be described as stunning.

But when I saw those smiles, all I felt was a chill.

The eerie, damp aura they exuded was impossible to describe.

Alice’s blue eyes, Mylene’s golden ones…Their two beautiful pairs of eyes shone with an ominous glow.

I couldn’t bear it any longer and hurriedly flung open the mansion’s door.

Then, without looking back, I bolted down the road, fleeing the scene.

As I rushed toward the city’s center, away from Alice and Mylene, I desperately tried to come up with a plan.

If the Imperial soldiers remain in this town, things will go south fast.

If Alice and Mylene make contact with the soldiers…it will be the beginning of an unavoidable conflict.

Of course, with their current strength, they’d wipe out the small squad of Imperial soldiers instantly.

But the real problem comes after that.

I would become a top priority criminal for the Empire.

If they were fighting against individuals, it might be manageable.

If their opponents were just individuals, no matter how powerful, there would be a way to deal with it.

And, honestly, Alice might be the strongest person, no, the strongest living being in this world.

But…the Empire is an organization, the largest nation on this continent.

They number in the tens of millions…maybe even over a hundred million, counting all the territories under their control.

If we start a fight with them, there’s no end to it. And unlike Alice or Mylene, I’m not strong.

In short, if the rulers of this continent, the Empire, target me, I’ll no longer have any safe place in this world.

Forget about a peaceful retirement and quiet life in the countryside.

I’d have to live my life constantly looking over my shoulder, always on edge.

I need to avoid that at all costs.

So, I must quickly convince the Imperial soldiers to leave this town.