####'s POV:
- Phew, I can't remember the last time I ate this well.
I pat my stomach in satisfaction as I look around. A large number of slaves in common clothes are standing around the various tables devouring the food. I was able to avoid the crowd thanks to taking one end of the table at the back to eat the delicacies I had skillfully procured. I pat my stomach again proud of my successful hunt for delicacies. Despite the hubbub in the crowd, no one seems to be fighting over the food.
"I guess the guards' glare is all it takes to keep them at bay."
Although open to the public, there are several guards and knights watching the slaves. Possibly they don't trust them to keep the banquet peaceful.
- … Well, I can't really blame them, I wouldn't trust the slaves' manners either.
While mumbling to myself, I seriously considered going out hunting again when I caught a person running out of the corner of my eye.
- The Mayor of Cannes?
At one of the entrances the Mayor was running out of the banquet accompanied by some guards. They seem to be in a hurry as they head outside. Although I wanted to continue the hunt, curiosity gets the better of me and I jump out of my chair to head towards the place where the Mayor had disappeared. After a while, I find him talking to his subordinates in a neighboring campaign, after a slight exchange of dialogue, his subordinates begin to run in different directions.
- Is something wrong?
I ask the Mayor who seems to be in a hurry and begins to walk as he answers me. I on the other hand follow him closely to continue the conversation.
- Are you one of the slaves?
- Yes, my name is ####
- I see, then Miss, how can I help you?
- It's nothing important... I just got curious.
- Curious?
- About where you are going in such a hurry.
Somewhat confused at first, he quickly smiles sweetly at me.
- That a young lady like you would be interested in an old man about to retire like me…
A tear comes out of the corner of his eye as he skillfully wipes it away with his hand without slowing down his pace at any time.
- I was just heading to receive the hero of fire. Apparently he is bringing more slaves who were freed.
- Mr. hero?
- Indeed. Would you like to accompany me to receive him?
- Of course!
With that said, the mayor takes me in his arms and begins to accelerate towards the outskirts of the camp.
- By the way, Miss ####, do you know where your home is?
- … I am not going to head to my house.
- … Is there a reason for that? I am sure your parents are worried about you.
The mere mention of my parents brings back many horrible memories. I shake my head to disperse those thoughts. With a light thump on his chest, I signal for him to get off. He stops and slowly lowers me to ground level as he looks at me with some pity and curiosity.
- Because I'm going to embark on a journey with Mr. Hero.
- What?
Ignoring his surprise, I run with open arms towards a handsome man in slave clothes who can be seen a short distance away.
- Huh?
I hug him by surprise from behind as he looks at me in a stupefied manner.
- Welcome back, sir.
He gives me a wide smile as he lowers himself until his gaze is at my level.
- I'm back, little one.
I hug him tightly again resuming the seduction plan as he gently strokes my head. The mayor finally reaches us as he bows to Mr. Hero.
- Preparations for the return and relocation of the slaves are ready sir. They will all be sent to the city of Cannes so they can travel from there to their respective homes.
- I understand, then proceed as estimated.
- … Regarding that sir, we have a problem with that.
- A problem?
- Yes…, you have it right in your arms.
Noticing the sudden atmosphere, I hide my face in Mr. Hero's arm trying to appeal to seduction.
- That girl doesn't want to tell us where she comes from, even when we offered to take her to her parents, she insists on not telling us anything.
I feel Mr. Hero's gaze settle on me. Trying to use one of Lira's techniques, I slightly raise my face as I look up to appeal to… What was it like? His protection institute?
- Don't you want to go home?
His gaze suggests that my technique has been useless again. A slight depression hits me as I try to think of a way to avoid the subject. Out of ideas, I throw myself at Mr. Hero with the best of my seduction techniques and ask the question.
- Can't I go with you?
- … Huh?
He stays silent for a few moments in surprise.
- Is that a no?
I try to increase the pressure in my chest as I look at him with pleading eyes to press for an answer.
- Wait a second, I can't take you with me. I'm in the middle of an adventure, it's too dangerous to take such a small girl with me.
An imaginary lightning bolt strikes me. When he mentions the word small, I inevitably look down at my chest and a bubbling anger rises from within me.
- Small? I'm not small! I'm a grown woman.
I cling even closer to his arm to prove him wrong while the anger inside me only grows.
- Even if you say that…
- You promised! You promised you wouldn't abandon me again.
Seeing myself outmatched on all fronts, I decide to use my secret weapon. Despite Mira's warnings about using it too much, if I lose this battle, I'll never have a chance like that again.
"Because the greatest weapon a girl has against a man is… Tears!"
I quickly squeeze a couple of tears from my eyes while looking at Mr. Hero with pleading eyes. A small murmur leaves his mouth as I can see his resolve wavering. A little more and I'll have my victory.
- Did you... Did you lie to me?
I manage to squeeze out a few tears as I put everything I have into looking more pitiful in his eyes. His resolve finally falters and he gently hugs me.
- I could even cook for you. I'm sure I'll be useful to you.
I deliver the final blow as I make my body tremble and pretend to sob in his arms.
- ... Okay, I'll take you with me.
With those words I know my victory is a fact. I quickly wipe the tears in my eyes as I break free from Mr. Hero's embrace. The hero's stupefied face is just the seal that proves my overwhelming victory. I quickly cast a glance towards the mayor, who can only sigh in resignation.
- You heard it Mayor, Mr. Hero said he would take me with him.
The elegant man sighs as he looks at the defeated hero.
- Come on miss, you have to go to sleep, we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.
- I want to sleep in the same tent as Mr. Hero!
I march triumphantly hand in hand with the mayor as we walk away from the place. Despite my victory against the hero, I still haven't gotten my revenge on him for calling me small.
"I have to finish my seduction plan, even if I have to use the ultimate technique that Lira taught me"
.........…..
After a tough battle with the mayor, I was allowed to stay in the hero's tent. When the hero arrives at the tent, he quickly takes off his armor and falls exhausted on the bed. Although he seemed to want to tell me something, I pretend to be asleep. He doesn't seem to want to wake me up so he simply prepares to sleep and lays down a few meters away from me with an improvised cloth as a bed.
"Now I just have to make sure he falls asleep…"
I wait patiently for my chance, a long time passes until I finally hear the hero's breathing while he sleeps. I wait a few moments later just to make sure he's fast asleep before making my move. When it finally seems like a good time, I sneak up to the sleeping hero and lightly touch his torso. Even though he shows a slight reaction, there doesn't seem to be any signs of him waking up. An evil grin looms over my face as I stare down at the helpless hero.
"This will be my revenge for calling me short!"
I quickly pull off the simple t-shirt he was wearing to leave his upper half bare. The view I get impresses me for a few moments. The shape of his muscles is so perfect that Lira's strange description of them starts to seem less strange. I shake my head to get those thoughts out of my head and focus. I remember Lira's words about seduction that she had told me when we first met.
"Just grab him by his member and force him to take responsibility!"
As I made my way to his lower half, I suddenly noticed that there was something wrong. Purple and red spots were dotted across parts of his torso. I quickly examined his torso further and found some deep bruises on his sides and arms. Although I tried not to give them any importance, now that I knew of their existence, I couldn't just ignore them. I quickly searched around the hero lord's tent but found nothing to treat his wounds. Remembering Mira's lessons on healing wounds and bruises, I quickly grabbed a small knife I found in the tent and left the place. After a long while, I was finally able to find some leaves that Mira had taught me that I could put on the bruises.
- I was lucky that this plant grew around here.
When I got back to the tent, I quickly crushed the leaves with my hands as best I could and began to lay them on the bruises he had. A slight reaction of pain came from Mr. Hero as I carefully applied the leaves. When I placed all the leaves I wiped the sweat from my forehead proud of my good work, but when I took another look at the hero, some of the leaves I placed had already fallen out of their place.
"I'm going to need something to tie them to him."
Looking around for something I could use as a bandage, the only thing I found thin enough for me to cut was my own blanket. With the small knife that helped me get the leaves, I cut some jagged cuts from my blanket and began to carefully bandage him. At first when I tried to lift his body to tie the blanket to his torso I found it impossible to move him from his place. When I was about to give up on bandaging him, a small red light appeared in front of me. This light quickly faded away and Mr. Hero's body began to float. My surprise led me to almost scream, but I managed to control myself somehow. Despite the initial shock, the only thing that had happened was that the hero was floating.
- Are you helping me?
Without clearly understanding what had happened, I simply finished bandaging him carefully. When I was done, the hero's body slowly settled back down on the ground as if nothing had happened. Still somewhat confused by the sudden event, I looked at my own blanket with resignation. I laid down on the improvised mattress I had as a bed and covered myself with what was left of my blanket.
- I'll let you go this time. I wouldn't like you to take responsibility while you're covered in wounds, so I'll leave my revenge for another day.
Before I knew it, I had fallen fast asleep while complaining. For some reason, that night I dreamed of Dad.