Chapter 3: Chapter 3: I Bought It Because It Was Cheap (3)

“Uh-huh.”

Seeing Carla’s forlorn expression, an unexplainable satisfaction spread from the depths of my heart.

This must be why the original Carla ended up like this.

The thrill of tormenting her was just too good.

Well, Carla herself seemed to think she’d been dealt a bad hand, but… one thing’s for sure.

Being my slave was actually fortunate for Carla.

Had I not been there, Count Kipros would have bought her.

The noble who bid 10,000 gold for her was a far more malicious person than I was.

In H&A, the protagonist started by enrolling in an academy, and by that time, Carla had already been sold to Count Kipros.

Carla was mentioned merely as an extra NPC in the academy; the rumor was that her family had committed treason and she had been sold as a slave.

But eventually, Carla reappeared.

As a mid-boss of the second year, first semester.

The downfall of Carla was set against the backdrop of a dungeon-like mansion of Count Kipros.

As you explored the grotesquely lavish mansion, you’d find scraps of torn memos here and there, which turned out to be a kind of journal item.

Collect all 37 pieces, and they would transform into Count Kipros’ diary item, through which you could find out how Carla became a boss.

Count Kipros, to put it simply, suffered from erectile dysfunction. Because of this, his taste grew increasingly perverse… and Carla was the perfect subject for his twisted desires.

She was clearly fearful and reacted strongly, making her perfect for tormenting, and she was even pretty.

Totally infatuated with Carla, Count Kipros turned to dark magic and even worshiped an evil deity to cure his incurable erectile dysfunction.

That deity was the grotesque God of Fertility.

He believed that if he worshiped a deity that drew its power from twisted sexual desires, he would find a solution to his problem.

Count Kipros succeeded in summoning a part of the grotesque God of Fertility by sacrificing all his servants, accumulated slaves, and even his own family…

Unluckily for him, Carla, who harbored more than fear—actual malice—fit perfectly into the twisted tastes of the wicked deity.

Ignoring the summoner, Count Kipros, the deity chose to transfer his power to Carla.

Carla, fueled by a desire for revenge, readily accepted the power.

Becoming the saint of the wicked deity, Carla took her revenge on Count Kipros, covering the surroundings with tentacles and seizing control…

Thus, she became a mid-boss, blocking the protagonist’s path.

Back when I was a newbie, she was a tricky boss that took me dozens of attempts to defeat.

Compared to Count Kipros, I really was a merciful master.

Anyway, as I recalled the version of Carla, who became a half-tentacled monster in the game, perhaps her final remnants of aristocratic pride had been beaten by her hunger. She knelt before me and started begging in a desperate voice.

“D-Did I do something wrong? I’m sorry. If you let me know, I’ll correct it. Please don’t starve me. Okay? I can be good. So please, Master…”

Why was she so extreme?

No, was she pushed into such an extreme situation?

One thing’s for sure, I had to feed her well. So I helped her stand up.

“Hey, I was joking. Get up, get up.”

“Really…? You were really joking? Ah! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to doubt you. It’s just…”

I sit the flustered Carla across from me and fed her a slice of meat.

“Mmm…”

The moment I brought the food to her frosty lips, she eagerly ate it.

Savoring the flavor, she chewed carefully. I smiled and said,

“Don’t worry. As long as you don’t rebel, you won’t starve. If you listen well, I’ll give you even better things. You understand what I mean?”

“Th-thank you. I’ll listen well.”

With food still in her mouth, Carla nodded vigorously.

It felt like I was threatening her with food… Well, I guess I actually was.

In any case, there wasn’t much I could do about it.

I had no intention of destroying Carla’s mana core, so I had to find another way to keep her on a leash.

It was true that 20,000 gold wasn’t a big deal for me, but that didn’t mean I wanted to waste a slave I went to the trouble of purchasing.

“Good attitude. How about we start by taking off that stifling cloak?”

“…Ah.”

Who would have thought she’d still be tightly wrapped in the cloak she wore to avoid prying eyes from outside?

Carla hesitated for a moment, but eventually removed the cloak carefully and folded it neatly.

“Is… is this okay?”

Carla asked in a cautious voice. I couldn’t respond right away because, up close, her body was far more captivating than I had imagined.

Firstly, the deep neckline exposed her collarbone, and it was as if some mysterious gravity was at work—I couldn’t easily look away.

Even when I managed to tear my gaze away, the sight was no less bewitching.

Either her dress was too small, or regular clothing just couldn’t fully cover Carla’s figure.

With one wrong move, it seemed like the center of her chest could be exposed, creating a precarious impression.

Thanks to that, I could clearly discern the shape of her large yet well-balanced breasts.

…Was clothing even serving a purpose here?

I was intensely curious about the rest, but we should eat first.

Both because I was hungry and because I needed to give Carla a clear reward.

Seeing her anxious expression as she watched me, I nodded reassuringly.

“Good, well done. Now, continue eating. If it’s not enough, order more. They’ll even bring food to the room for an extra charge, so it’s quite convenient.”

“Thank you…”

It seemed her tension had loosened a bit, and with a relaxed expression, Carla resumed eating.

Perhaps she was bothered by my blatant gaze. She hesitated now and then, but…

Carla resolutely finished eating three more servings.

“Ugh… Hic!”

She gave out a small burp, then hastily covered her mouth and looked at me.

Well, having consumed a total of four servings, it was understandable.

“Once you’re done, put the dishes outside and come sit here.”

“Yes, sir!”

As I patted the seat next to me while sitting on the bed, Carla awkwardly rose from her seat. She gathered the evidence of her meal and placed it outside the door, then took a seat beside me with an air of heightened tension.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Whiff.

A pleasant aroma wafted from her as soon as she sat down.

Was that perfume?

While I pondered this in a relaxed manner, Carla sat with a rigid posture, her head bowed down.

The tension emanating from her trembling lips was palpable. She was incredibly nervous.

She seemed to be misunderstanding why I asked her to sit on the bed. It wasn’t that, not yet.

“Carla Lindelheit, to mention the biggest reason why I spent 20,000 gold on you–”

“Gulp.”

As if expecting it, Carla swallowed hard. I pointed at her chest as I continued speaking,

“It’s to learn the Lindelheit family’s mana breathing technique, Lintblum.”

“…Excuse me? Lintblum?”

She tilted her head in confusion, apparently caught off guard by the unexpected topic.

Was it due to her innocent look? Or perhaps it was because of the revealing outfit.

Right now, Carla reminds me of an herbivorous animal—more specifically, a well-fed rabbit.

Doing my best to resist letting my gaze drift towards her chest again, I returned to the main topic.

“Yes, Lintblum, that’s right. It has to be that. Oh, I’ll also teach you some basic magic before you enter the academy.”

While Lintblum was an effective mana breathing technique, it wasn’t the best.

The Eurelia continent was filled with superior mana breathing techniques, most of which I already knew.

However, at this point, Lintblum was the only method that could cure mana insensitivity.

It wasn’t like there were absolutely no other ways—like elixirs or a transformative event—but they were practically impossible for a magician who couldn’t use magic.

Hiring a high-level adventurer by spending a large sum wasn’t a good choice either.

No matter how high the adventurer’s rank, they often betray their employer in the face of valuable items money couldn’t buy.

I learned that from my own experience.

I’ve poured gold from my main character into my secondary character, hoping to speed things up, and hired an S-tier adventurer.

But the moment we cleared the hidden dungeon, those adventurers—who had the highest trust rating within the guild—stabbed me in the back without a second thought.

Damn them.

It was like that in the game, but it was likely even worse now that it had become a reality.

This world has always shown me more than what the game era did.

Anyway, Carla visibly relaxed when I explained why I purchased her at the auction.

Did she think her value relied more on her knowledge than her body? That might be a premature judgment.

I chuckled and gave her side a gentle poke.

“You do know the Lintblum breathing technique, don’t you?”

“Ah, yes, I do! I’m in the process of learning it myself, but…”

Carla blinked her ruby-colored eyes, as if not fully understanding.

“Only adults under thirty can enroll in the academy, you know?”

“Huh?”

Why was she bringing this up now—oh.

Reacting to Carla’s words, I instinctively glanced at a nearby mirror.

…And there I found the face of a malevolent, scheming noble glaring back at me.

I had been wondering why I felt strangely tense for a while.

I realized I hadn’t undone the disguise I wore to the auction.

Feeling awkward, I scratched the back of my head and pulled a golden potion from my inventory to drink.

“Hm.”

A slight headache and a weird tingling sensation spread across my face.

But the effect was evident; my reflection in the mirror began to change slowly.

“What? What?!”

Carla was so shocked that she pointed at my face, stammering.

Though she quickly lowered her hand, perhaps thinking it was rude, I could understand her reaction.

Anyone would be startled if a malicious-looking bald man suddenly transformed into a boy who appeared younger than themselves.

I turned my head from side to side, checking my reflection again.

Pitch-black hair that wouldn’t allow any other color, and skin so white it looked almost pallid in contrast.

Sharp eyes sparkled in a shade of purple, and the corners of my mouth were slightly upturned.

Overall, it wasn’t the most pleasant look, but it was undeniably handsome.

I couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.

It was well worth the three hours—or nearly so—I’d invested in the disguise.