My Disciples Think I’m Strong

All eyes were on me. This mask’s concealment spell was working properly, right?

“Who is that guy?”
“How much money does he have?”
“To casually bid 1,100 gold, he must be quite highly ranked among the nobles.”

It was a pointless speculation, but their gazes could now serve as psychological warfare.

My maximum bid was 1,300 gold.
The extra 100 gold was just a show of bravado.

It was the foundation for instilling a sense of pressure that I had more money than him.

If I hadn’t spent money buying slaves, it would never have worked.
But right now, he had already spent around 3,000 gold.
Thanks to the waste brought about by his arrogance, I could wage psychological warfare.

He glared at me and raised his placard.

“1,110 gold!”
“1,200 gold.”
Rather than gradually raising the price, I jumped the bidding by large increments.

“This brat…!”

He growled in my direction. Though his body trembled with hostility, I showed no reaction.

A skill that could subdue even an S-rank adventurer.
It was so absurd that I couldn’t even laugh.

“Kuhh! You little shit!”

You don’t have money, do you? I know.

“1,250!”
“1,300.”

I grinned, as if challenging him to keep raising the bid.
Just as an unintended expression formed, the tanned man rose from his seat.

“This fucking brat is laughing at me?!”

He seemed ready to charge at me any moment. That’s when it happened.

“Bidder #21! Any violence within the auction hall is strictly prohibited!”
“Shut up! This guy is—”

Unable to contain his excitement, goblin-masked people swiftly surrounded him with drawn swords.

“What are you doing right now?”

Even at a glance, their voices were heavily laced with anger.
I didn’t even blink, but when did these people approach? I didn’t notice them at all.

“…It was retaliation.”
“Retaliation, you say?”
“Retaliation for revealing your Intimidation towards me.”
“Enough of this! Take the slave you’ve won and leave at once! Combat is absolutely not permitted here.”

So you’re allowed to point swords at my body?
I wanted to argue that, but as a weakling among weaklings, I had no choice but to obediently nod in agreement.

‘I’ll leave as you say, but please put away your swords first.’
“Put them away.”

The goblins looked at each other, then slowly sheathed their swords. I turned and headed towards the curtained area behind the stage.

The name of the tanned, muscular blond man was Inkuro.
He was one of the mere seven S-rank adventurers on the Piscis Continent.

With his ferocious personality of overturning everything if things didn’t go his way, and his lecherous tendency to drool over any woman, he was a polarizing figure among many.

However, that was only regarding his human side. When it came to his strength, there was no disagreement.
His prowess in slaying countless demons was well-known enough that most people in the Empire were aware of it.

And yet, this very man was feeling tense against a man he hadn’t even crossed swords with.
Inkuro, who felt a pressure akin to having his shoulders gripped and being forced to his knees, instinctively took a step back.

‘Did I… falter? Against such a scrawny guy?!’

Inkuro was indignant.

‘Me, who didn’t even flinch before that worm of a Knight Commander or fellow S-rank adventurers, faltering against that guy?!’

He opened the fist he had unconsciously clenched. His palm was damp with sweat.
The Intimidation he had felt from Praus hadn’t even lasted a full second. And yet, his entire body had convulsed and broken out in cold sweat.

His body had reacted faster than his mind.
Believing instinct and senses to be crucial in combat, that sense had allowed Inkuro to escape numerous crises.

And now, once again, his body was sending him a signal.
That if he fought, he would certainly die.

‘Was a guy like that in the Empire? Where was he hiding?’

Recalling the inexplicable imposing presence he had felt momentarily, he steadied his breathing.

‘Even fellow S-ranks can’t exude that level of presence. That level would require being a Demon Commander… No, the Demon Lord itself.’

The Demon Lord. The king of demons.
An absolute being, a title that wasn’t out of place at all.
He swallowed his saliva at the thought of it.

‘Even so—’

“If I let this go, I won’t be satisfied.”

His pride wouldn’t allow him to be cowed by someone he hadn’t even crossed blades with.
The mana surging from him caused everyone in the auction hall to tense up.

“Please calm down. He is no longer here.”
“Where did he go?!”

He exploded with rage. The auctioneer sighed and gestured towards the curtained area.

“He went to receive the slave he won. Will you return as well?”
“I’ll go too!”
“Please take some time.”
“Why?”
“Because we cannot permit any violence here.”

He took a deep breath to calm his excitement.

‘Don’t go far. Even if you flee, I’ll scour the entire Empire to find and kill you.’

“I wonder if it worked? I hope it worked.”

Still, he seemed a bit fazed, though. Since I can’t sense Intimidation myself, how would I know?
I scratched my head and headed to the slave holding area. The restrained hero followed behind me, listless.
The place I arrived at, guided by her, was a space with a peculiar scent.

“Welcome.”

A female voice came from behind the goblin mask.

“This is where slave brands are renewed and payments are made. Do you have the money ready?”
“No problem.”

I placed my money pouch down.
At the hefty sound, the goblins exchanged glances and grinned.

“Then, please excuse me.”

The goblin who took my money pouch poured the gold coins into an indecipherable device. As the coins poured in, it began to move.
Shortly after, the organized coins emerged.

“A total of 1,336 gold coins.”

I received 36 gold coins in return. It really felt like being dirt poor.

“Now, the payment has been received. We’ll renew the slave brand.”
“No. Don’t renew it, remove it.”
“Huh? But…”
“I bought this slave with my money. Shouldn’t I have the freedom to do as I wish?”

When I showed a hint of displeasure, the goblins flinched. Two of them made eye contact and nodded.

“Understood. We’ll proceed as you say.”

They removed the slave brand in the same manner as slave traders.
As the brand on her chest disappeared, causing pain, she bit her lower lip tightly.

“Kuhh!”

As if traumatized from being struck whenever she screamed, she forcefully suppressed her groans.

Once the slave brand was safely removed, they also took off the restraints on her neck and limbs.
It was a complete liberation.

“You, what’s your name?”
“…Slaves have no names.”

She answered emotionlessly.

“Your slave brand has just been removed. The restraints binding your body are also gone. Yet if you still consider yourself a slave, you will live as one for the rest of your life.”

For the first time, she met my gaze. I calmly spoke again.

“Tell me your name.”
“…Maria…it is.”

Maria. It matched the third hero’s name.
The third hero, and the future Great Mage.
The prodigious mage capable of sweeping away tens of thousands with a single gesture had finally come into my hands.

I had gathered them all at last. How moving.
If I could express emotions, I would have been jumping around in elation.

With this, I had successfully taken the first step.

“I see. Remember it.”
“……”
“Now that all the procedures are complete, let’s be on our way.”
“Thank you for your esteemed visit. We hope to see you again at the 4th Slave Auction.”

I glanced at the bowing goblins and walked away without a word. Maria looked around cautiously before following me.
It seemed she had realized I was the one who had bought her.

“Maria.”
“…Yes.”
“From now on, we’ll be going to the inn where I’m staying. Follow me.”
“……”

She didn’t answer. Now that her slave brand was removed, she might be considering fleeing.

“Do you want to run away?”
“Ah, no. That’s absolutely…”
She hurriedly denied it, as if I had hit the mark.
“You’re too young to run away. Use me until you reach an age where you can safely escape.”
“Huh?”

I said no more.
I took off my robe and draped it over her body. Though it would drag on the ground since it didn’t fit her height, I couldn’t let her wander around in rags.

“Let’s go.”
“…Yes.”

As we exited through the back door of the auction hall, the guide offered my sword back to me. It was the ‘Unbreakable Glory of the Past’ I had left with them.

“Did you have a good time?”
“Yes.”

I answered as I sheathed the sword at my waist.

“Please visit us again next time.”

I didn’t respond this time either.
Like I would be insane enough to come back here.
Now that I had gathered all the heroes, I just needed to return to Secul and focus on training them. No more hardship remained.

We left through the back door of Wirang’s Indulgence.
As soon as we went outside, the chilly night air enveloped us. The clean air filling my lungs felt refreshing.

“This way.”

The moment I took a step towards the inn, an unwanted male voice reached me.

“Where do you think you’re going?”
“…Why are you here?”

I spoke as I looked at the S-rank adventurer, Inkuro.

“Did you really think you could reveal your Intimidation to me and live?”

In his hand was the greatsword he favored, Zweihänder. I scratched the back of my neck in dismay.

I had barely taken the first step, and he was trying to kill me again. What a crappy game.

“I’ll kill you right here.”

I let out a sigh.
Maria, cowed by Inkuro’s imposing presence, slightly hid behind me. I glanced at her and reached into my pocket.

“Take this and stand back a bit.”
“……”

Her lifeless gaze turned to the hard tack I offered. She obediently took the end in her mouth.

“Hard tack is high in calories, perfect food for kids without strength like you.”