LMHS 14

Chapter 14

“Ho ho! That’s a bold answer.”
The man laughed heartily, bending at the waist to meet my gaze. His eyes were filled with goodwill.
“Child, would you like me to help you get out of here?”
“How?”
“Just as you said—my hobby is buying those whose eyes I like and then setting them free.”
“Not owning them, but freeing them?”
“That’s right.”

Relieved that this old man wasn’t as awful as I’d feared, I let out a quiet breath.
But no matter how freely he released them…
Spending money here was still, in the end, no different from fueling this place’s maintenance and growth.
At least he didn’t seem to have malicious intentions—thankfully.

Revising my assessment of the old man upward, I asked,
“Why spend money just to let them go?”
Lowering his voice as if sharing a secret, he replied,
“Because every now and then, that earns me a lifelong retainer who would gladly give their life for me.”
“And if they simply leave with thanks?”
“Then I’ve saved one person’s life.”

Indeed, back in his prime, loyal and capable people had always surrounded him.
His aides, in particular, were infamous for their devotion—so much so that people called them watchdogs.
That raised one question…

“Is it really okay to tell me this?”
“I never force loyalty on anyone. Think about it—only someone who follows me knowing full well what kind of man I am can truly serve as my hand and foot, don’t you think?”
“Haha, Grandpa, you’re not very honest.”
“…What did you say?”
“You just wanted to save people who had a strong will to live, didn’t you?”

Anyone with sense wouldn’t pledge loyalty to a piece of trash who only used them.
They followed him simply because he was someone worth following.
“There’s always a reason people gather around someone.”
“…Are you saying I’m that kind of person?”
“Yes.”
“Heh. The more we talk, the more interesting you are. I wouldn’t be bored with you by my side.”

Even behind the mask, I could feel his smile from how gentle his voice had become.
“But if I had power like yours, Grandpa, I don’t think I’d do it that way.”
“Then what would you do?”

Just being able to enter this auction house meant power and money.
And above all, this old man…

I glared at him provocatively through the bars.
“I’d raze this dog-eat-dog auction house to the ground.”
“…Ho ho.”

The warmth vanished from his eyes in an instant, the air around us turning cold.
“Don’t be arrogant, child. Do you have any idea how many families are tied up with this lowly market? Even if you had power like mine, do you think you could say that so lightly?”

With so much to protect, he likely didn’t want to stir trouble by touching a place intertwined with countless families.
Freeing those with a strong will to live was probably the last remnant of his conscience.

I curled my lips into a bright smile.
“Then, Grandpa, want to make a bet with me?”
“…What kind of bet?”
“Whether I can raze this auction house in the future.”
“You—who might not even survive if I don’t save you right now?”
“Yes. Since it’s overwhelmingly unfavorable to me, if I win, please grant me one wish.”

At my bold demand, his gaze dropped to the restraints binding my wrists, as if checking whether the ability-sealing spell was intact.
“Your abilities are sealed, and yet you think you can destroy this place? I’m curious how.”
“Right?”

But there was one thing he’d overlooked.
Truly powerful abilities aren’t bound by sealing spells.
And I was exactly that case.

“But you’re missing the most important part of a bet, child. You haven’t set a time limit.”
“As soon as possible.”
“Hm. That’s vague.”

As if losing interest, he looked away.
Really—so stingy for someone with so much money.

“…What time is it now?”
In response, as a final courtesy, he silently pulled out a pocket watch from his waist. With a click, it opened, and he held it before my eyes.
“The bell will ring from the central clock tower soon.”

There wasn’t much time left until noon.
Talking with him, time had passed faster than I’d realized.

“Then… the deadline to raze it is about this much?”
I spread all ten fingers in front of him.
“Ten years? You expect me to wait until you’re grown?”
“No—let me correct that. About this much.”

I lowered my left hand, holding up five fingers—then slowly folded them down.
Five, four, three, two, one.

“What are you—”
“Yes. Right now.”

Dong—dong—dong.

The faint sound of the central tower bell announcing noon rang out.
I beamed and covered my ears.

KRAAASH—!

At the same instant, a thunderous roar erupted, and parts of the building began collapsing as if struck by something.
“Ahhh!”
“A monster! A monster’s broken in!”
“The building’s collapsing—run!”
“Hey, administrator! You can’t just leave us locked up!”

Amid the chaos of rampaging monsters and screaming people, the old man stared at me in silence.
Even he couldn’t hide the slight tremor in his pupils.

“…Was this your doing?”
From my tangled hair, I pulled out the key I’d stolen earlier and unlocked my cuffs.
“Something like that. Oh—and just in case, making friends well is obviously one of my abilities too, right?”
Clink.

[Overlaying the present onto Save Point 1.]

The moment the cuffs came off, I—who had saved my perspective—rolled my wrists to loosen stiff muscles.
Just then, a four-legged beast-type monster lunged at the old man from behind.
“Uh—Grandpa, behind you—!”

Crunch!

My mouth fell open.
Without even turning around, he obliterated the charging monster.
It was a literal explosion of gore.

I grimaced at the mangled remains.
“Ah! Grandpa, isn’t killing it before I can stop you a bit much?”
“…What?”

Grumbling about how he’d lived so long yet lacked patience, I drew on my ability.
“Good thing I make a habit of saving. I almost lost my ride.”

[Loading Save Point 1.]

Rewinding to before the monster died, I immediately grabbed the old man’s sleeve with all my strength.
“Grandpa, this way!”
He followed without resisting.

At the same moment, the monster charged and shredded the iron bars where he’d been standing like paper.
After crumpling the bars in an instant, it came over to me, growling softly and rubbing its face against me.
It was the mount Raspi had prepared for my safety and mobility when he planned to raze this place.

Climbing onto the monster, I shamelessly added,
“Oh, by the way, saving you just now goes on a separate tab from the bet.”
“…W-what?”

After squeezing him for all he was worth to the very end, I escaped the cage.
Then I bolted toward where Rosemary was being held, shouting back at the flustered old man,
“I’ve got something urgent to take care of, so I’ll be off! I’ll tell you my wish the next time we meet!”