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Wh-, what do I do now…?

The auction is over and we are moving on to the process of receiving the goods. Currently, the only money I have on hand is the billion gold for 500 pieces of platinum given to me by Orty. That’s definitely not enough, especially if I included the white-haired beauty. If they find out that I don’t have enough money, I’m sure they’re gonna stuff me in a drum and throw me to the ocean, or at the very least they will sell my body for sure.

A-, Anyway, I have to buy time.

Let’s try to stretch out the process as long as possible for the other girls we bought.

“Y-, you see, I’ve only brought platinum coins. I didn’t have smaller coins with me. You need the exact amount of coin, right? Let me just get back and—”
“No problem. It saves us the trouble of counting the coins.”

The auctioneer then proceeds to count the money.

Calm, aren’t we? You even look very professional. Your glasses sure are reflecting light a lot.

Yup, can’t fool Mr. Glasses. Small money is just a pain in the arse to count anyway. Platinum coins are more of a time saver.

And in no time at all, the procedure for taking over Jessie, the daughter of a fallen nobleman, Rita, the wolf beastman girl, and Cammy, the villager, was over.

“Haha, that’s quite a lot of procedure, huh? What do you say? Don’t you feel like taking a break? I can pour you some tea if that’s what you want.”
“Thank you for your concern. But no, thank you. I have work to do.”
“I know, yes. Of course, you have work.”

N-, No good. This four-eye is unflinching…

No matter how much I encouraged him to take a break, no matter how much I tried to make small talk with him, it was all a vain effort. He doesn’t stop working even as he’s talking with me.

He’s already finished the procedures for the girls other than the beautiful white-haired girl, including the cat girl, Bara. Now he is calculating the money for the purchase of the beautiful white-haired girl.

Is there anything, anything, that I can do to make time pass faster?

I racked my brain like never before.

“Lady Tilea, there’s something wrong.”

But that’s when four-eyes stopped working and called out to me.

“Wh-, what is it?”
“You are short 180 million gold.”
“Am-, am I really? H-, huh, that’s weird. M-, maybe you miscounted or something…”
“Lady Tilea.”
“Y-, yes?”
“I’ve counted them twice. There is no mistake there.”

Mr. Glasses narrowed his eyes and cornered me.

C-, crap…

I have no way to swivel my way out.

Orty…why isn’t Orty here yet?

“Haha, of course. Yes, there’s no mistake, huh~”
“…”
“B-, by the way, your glasses are lovely. Where did you buy them? You look very intelligent. Maybe I should wear glasses too~ Then my silly head would be a little—”
“Lady Tilea. False declarations are a punishable offense.”

Yup, this isn’t working out. I tried my best to divert the conversation, but it was futile. Four-eyes stared at me with squinted eyes.

What the hell? Four eyes, you’re soft-spoken, but your pressure is crazy. You look like an intellectual-type, but you are scary. You look like an economic yakuza.

Anyway, excuses…I just need to make excuses.

“No, I’m not lying. Orty is taking the rest of the money…”
“So you don’t have enough money. There’s no other way then.”

Eh, you’re just going to let me off the hook?

Oh man, I’m really sorry about this. I put you through a lot of trouble, four-eyes
I’ll even cook and wash dishes for you to make up for it…..umm, four-eyes?

Why are you posing like that?

Mr. Glasses stands up and puts his thumb and middle finger together and raises them in a way that they’re clearly visible.

I have a bad feeling about this…

“Guards!”

I knew it!

Four-eyes snaps his fingers, signaling. At the same time, the mercenaries at the auction house gather.

OOOOOHHHH! Oh crap crap crap!

Orty, come qui—

“My deepest apologies! Edim was just too slow on her feet, that’s why it took me so long.”
“Wha?! Do you even understand? It was your mess in the first place, sir Ortissio, wasn’t it? I am cleaning up your mess!”

Ooh, here they come!

Thank goodness. Orty and Edim arrived, playfully arguing with each other.

Mister scowling four-eyes also seemed to understand that Orty brought a large sum of money, so he settled down and the tense atmosphere eased.

After that, Orty covered the remaining amount of money, and the situation was resolved.

“I have confirmed the deposit. Now, please come to a separate room to sign the receipt and a brief explanation of precautions.”
“I’m counting on you, Orty.”
“As you wish.”

Orty is about to go to the other room on Edim’s back.

Ah, I need Edim for the trouble I will run into.

“Orty, wait. I’m sorry, but can you go through the formalities alone?”
“Understood.”

Orty gets off Edim’s back and limply walks away with a cane, which I have no idea where he got.

Hm, will he be okay?

Orty’s steps are uncertain. If something happens, he cannot escape alone. It will be the end of him if someone attacks him.

Well, even the Dark Emperor guy won’t stay silent if something happens in his auction venue, so he’s probably fine.

Leaving the final procedures to Orty, Edim and I left the auction hall.

After we walked for a while

I noticed a group of people following us.

This is one of the troublesome things Loser (Bizef) said. They probably don’t like that I won too much at the auction.

“Lady Tilea.”
“I know. Edim, are you ready for battle?”
“Yes, ma’am. Of course I am.”

Yup, I feel safe with Edim. She’s gotta be the best escort I can ever ask for. There is nothing to worry about. However, there is a possibility that Orty and the girls he brought would be attacked when they go out of the venue after the procedure is over.

“Hey, Edim, they are not the only ones who will attack, you know. They will aim for the girls too.”
“I am aware of that. I have sent my kins to escort the slaves to ensure they are not taken away.”
“Oh, you are well prepared. As expected of you.”
“Thank you, my lady.”

Yups, Edim sure knows what she’s doing. I can trust Edim’s kinsmen enough. I’m sure the girls and the wobbly-legged Orty will feel at ease.

Hm?! Hang on.

It just occurred to me that Orty and Edim have not been getting along lately. Could it be, she didn’t prepare an escort for Orty…

“Edim, of course you prepared a guard for Orty, didn’t you?”
“Should I have?”
“N-, now look. A guy with that much money and a wobbly leg would be a prime target, right?”

That’s right. It was good that Orty brought in additional funds. But he came back with more than a billion gold.

Hey, the auction is over. Don’t keep bringing unnecessary money out of the house. It’s dangerous!

“You are most correct. Sir Ortissio was carrying around the funds of the Evil God’s army. We can’t have our funds stolen by a human. I will immediately put my kin on guard.”

No, no, I’m not worried about the funds being taken away, I’m worried about Orty’s life being taken away…

Edim, you know what I’m talking about, right? I can’t believe you’re more worried about money than Orty, Orty is going to cry.

And then, right when Edim is having a telepathic conversation with her kin,

“Hey, you two, come here for a sec!”

Bowzen, the moneylender, called out to me in a threatening voice.

He acted exactly as I had expected. Bowzen has dozens of mercenaries in tow, and they’re trying to intimidate me and Edim.

If it were just me, I would have shrunk back. But now I have the best of bodyguards. I have nothing to fear.

“Sure. Let’s go somewhere else where nobody can disturb us.”
“Ho ho ho, glad you’re quick to understand!”