I Don't Want To Work! - Chapter 87

CHAPTER 87

“Ugh!”

Pow!

“Ugh!!!”

Pooww!!

Ringo, being dragged by the swaying men, bounced like a perch.

That kid’s got some core strength, huh?

“Even while tied up, what strength…!!”

Even the men who appeared to be security guards seemed to lack strength, so one of them brought along a few more.

They were men with black rings on their wrists.

“This must be his last struggle.”

When I grinned, Ringo bounced continuously, apparently more irritated.

Oh, really like a perch.

“Ugh! Ughughugh!!!”

Seems like he’s trying to say something, but his mouth is shut so I don’t know.

Well, if I were to interpret it…

“Hey, you traitor! How could you betray meeee!!”

Something like that?

‘Sorry.’

I chuckled.

‘But you know, the bait has to be big for the catch to be good, right?’

Thanks to that, all three of us managed to sneak into the building safely and quietly.

‘And besides, it’s not like there’s no insurance.’

Didn’t I already provide that?

I waved my hand towards Ringo being dragged along.

Don’t forget what I told you~!

“Ughbup! Bubububup!!”

Although Ringo bounced more vigorously, his rebellion was short-lived.

Soon enough, Ringo settled down.

“He’s really an elf who made a contract with a water spirit! My goodness, a crying elf.”

Shaun, who had finished evaluating Ringo, laughed heartily.

He’s drooling.

“Alright, shall we make a deal then?”

Shaun chuckled as he opened the door.

The room was filled with luxurious furniture as if it were meant to entertain important guests.

“Have a seat, would you like something to drink?”

“No, I’d prefer if we could proceed with the discussion quickly. I’m in a hurry because of money.”

Before Shaun could even sit down, I flopped onto the couch and propped my feet up on the table.

“So, how much?”

“……”

Shaun’s face contorted at my behavior. But soon he took out a pen and paper and wrote down a figure.

“Typically, elves go for this price.”

“Hmm….”

Is this all, for the price of betrayal?

As I blatantly showed my disappointment, Shaun quickly wrote down another amount.

“I’ll buy him at this price! I’m adding more because they recommended you to me.”

“…Hey.”

I glanced at Lionel sitting quietly beside me and shrugged.

“Take care of the elf. We’re going to another branch.”

“Wha-what?”

“I came all the way here just to get such a small amount!”

Bang! I kicked the table, causing Shaun to hurriedly get up from his heavy body.

“Ah, why are you doing this? Huh? Not enough money?”

“Not enough money?”

I twisted my face in disgust.

“I called for the ship at another branch! But they said something and persuaded me to come all the way here.”

“A ship for this price?”

“Of course! Do you know what kind of elf he is? He’s an elf contracted with a spirit!”

From Viscount Poulton of Arkin.

Spirit users are extremely rare.

So even just contracting with a lower spirit doubled the price, and if you contracted with a mid-level spirit, it quadrupled.

In short, Ringo was a very, very expensive body.

“But still.”

Shaun looked bewildered. 

Understandably so, because even the lowest price Shaun could afford was still a significant amount at a glance. 

He must have scraped together all the cash he could find at this auction. 

So, I had to push a bit more.

“Yeah. Other places bid on this, and they added gems to it, didn’t they?”

“Oh, well, I…”

“No money? Fine, let’s go!”

“Hey!”

Shaun grabbed my ankle and begged, sinking to his knees.

“This is the first auction I’m hosting. I poured all my savings into this! It has to go well, why isn’t it, huh? That cash is all I have!”

Hmm, he poured his entire savings into this. 

I chuckled and shook my head.

“Geez, I’m such a softie.”

“Then!”

“Do you have any jewelry or valuables? Cash transactions are standard, but I’ll make an exception this time.”

“I do, I do!”

Shaun jumped up eagerly.

“You’ll consider that?”

“It’s my first auction, what can I do? Don’t forget the deed.”

I sat back on the sofa, waving my hand.

“Just wait here. I’ll be right back!”

Shaun quickly left and returned moments later with a large box, accompanied by several men who looked like security guards. 

He must have emptied his entire savings and more, to carry something like that.

“Um, I brought everything that seemed appealing.”

Shaun poured out documents, jewelry, and valuables onto the table.

“And this is the cash.”

Thud, Shaun placed a pouch full of gold coins on the table and handed over the documents.

“I’ll let you decide… “

“Eh, kind of tacky!”

I grabbed the stack of documents. Shaun’s eyes widened, but he couldn’t stop me.

“Can I take a look?”

“…Okay.”

I teased him a bit, but I’ll let this one slide.

“Let’s see…”

With my feet on the table, I went through each document.

So, he claimed to have spent his entire savings earlier.

It was all an act.

‘Wow, each one is a gem, huh?’

There’s one near the capital, so the land is expensive. 

There’s a lake, so if developed into a tourist spot, it could bring in a lot of money. 

Oh, and there’s a farm field? 

Who in their right mind would put up their territory for sale?

I chuckled as I finished reading the last document.

“They all seem worth it!”

“Really? I recommend the third one.”

Shaun pointed to the cheapest land deed among them. I shook my head.

“Is there something better? Then, what about this one?”

It was the second cheapest land deed.

This guy’s been underestimating me from the start, huh?

I grinned broadly.

“I’ll take all of this!”

“W-what?”

Shaun, along with the security guards trailing him, blinked in disbelief.

Why act surprised? It’s already in my hands. Mine, right?

“Oh, and…”

I smirked.

“I’ll take over this auction house too.”

Boom!!

Before Shaun could react, he and the guards collapsed to the ground. 

Or rather, they were crushed by a tremendous force of gravity. 

It was a Null-Gravity spell.

“Guh!”

“Guhh….”

Groans echoed around.

I stood up from the sofa and walked towards Shaun.

The crushing gravity was no problem for me.

His red-dyed hair floated in the air.

I bent down to Shaun’s level.

“H-how did you… Null-Gravity spell…”

Tears streamed down Shaun’s face under the pressure of gravity.

“T-the wizards… were supposed to… hold their ground… guh! But…”

“Yeah, my apprentice is quite powerful.”

I lifted my foot above Shaun’s neck.

“Now, it’s time for the truth.”

I applied a bit of pressure on my foot.

“G-guhhh….”

Even with just that, Shaun’s face contorted in agony.

“Where’s the key?”

They couldn’t carve the slave mark on each of them individually.

Usually, such shackles were used to suppress spirit mages or wizards.

Ordinary slaves wore shackles on their ankles or wrists.

If the owner or slave master pressed on them, the shackles would attack the wearer.

For particularly defiant slaves, it was a sign that they’d rather die.

‘I didn’t expect to see such things still being used.’

The black rings on the wrists of the people I saw earlier.

Those were the shackles.

“Have your men place them… there, and… guhk!”

How dare he.

I’m still talking.

“Hand over the key, and I’d like the list of those who made deals. Oh! And the list of guests, please.”

“If I… give you everything, they’ll… k-kill me…”

“Hey.”

I smiled brightly as I exerted pressure with my foot.

“Do I look like I’ll spare you?”