RE: ZERON I will return for you, even if it takes a million

Chapter 5 : The price of freedom

​The next morning, the air in the cabin was still cool and damp. I brought a simple meal to Lavender's room and checked in on her.

​"Here, eat something. How are you feeling today?"

​She didn't answer, but she moved closer to take the meal from the small table. Her movements were guarded, hesitant. I reminded her that I might not be home until late because of my training in the forest, so I was leaving extra food for her.

​A moment later, I heard a sharp shout from outside. It was one of the hunters coming to deliver the proceeds from our previous haul. I met him in the living room, where he handed over two bags of money totaling one hundred thousand.

​I was stunned. The weight of the pouches in my hand felt surreal; I had never seen that much money in my life. Remembering the Goblin King's loot, I pulled out the crown and showed it to him.

​"Wait... is this really from a Goblin King?" he gasped. "This is pure gold and diamonds. It's worth a fortune!"

​I told him to sell it and, as before, we would split the profit. He had become my reliable link to the town's market. While we were talking, I asked him if he knew anything about the slaves in Hayem City.

​"Slaves? There are plenty in town. Why, are you looking to buy one?"

​I quickly shook my head and told him about Lavender, explaining that I had rescued her from a goblin ambush. I mentioned my concern about the shackles on her wrists—a "sealing item" used on slaves that could be fatal if removed incorrectly.

​"I want to get those off her. Do you know a way?"

​He explained that only the slave's master or a priest at the chapel could remove them. He warned me, however, that the merchants in town were predators. If they saw I was emotionally invested in a slave, they would skyrocket the price.

​"I see. Could you accompany me there? I want to try and buy her from her master," I said.

​We agreed to meet at the trade house. I went back to Lavender and told her we were heading into town.

​"You're... taking me back to the city?"

​A shadow of deep sadness crossed her face.

​"For now, yes," I said gently. "I want to get those shackles off you, and I can only do that by buying you from your former master."

​"Wait... you're going to buy me?" she asked, her voice trembling.

​I scratched my head, unsure if I could actually pull it off, but I promised her I would do everything in my power to make her free.

​We arrived at the trade house a few minutes later. The hunter spoke to the merchant who owned Lavender's contract to negotiate a price. He came back to me with a grim expression.

​"They're asking for fifty thousand. Those vultures know how to squeeze a deal. That's an absurd price for an ordinary slave."

​I winced. That was nearly a year's worth of my old salary. In my past life, I wouldn't have dreamed of spending that much on anything. I looked at Lavender, who was watching me with a hollow, hopeful gaze.

​"It's fine," I told the hunter. "Please, help me buy her."

​"Are you sure? That's double the market rate. You could get two others for that price."

​I shook my head. "I only want Lavender. No one else."

​The deal was struck. We were led into a room where they began the process of transferring ownership. It involved a magic spell and a contract—a process I wasn't familiar with, but I went along with it for her sake.

​After I signed the papers, Lavender's old shackles finally snapped open. However, they were replaced by a new collar around her neck. To finalize the process, I had to recite a magic oath accepting her as my slave.

​As we left the trade house, the merchant tried to chase me down to offer more "merchandise," but I ignored him. The hunter bid me farewell to go find a buyer for the Goblin King's crown.

​As Lavender and I walked through the streets, she seemed lost in thought, her eyes downcast. I took her to a clothing shop to get her something new. Since I knew nothing about women's fashion, I told her to pick whatever she liked.

​"You want me to choose? But why?" she asked, bewildered.

​"You need new clothes. Those old ones have seen better days," I replied.

​She stood there, frozen, so I called over a sales lady to take her measurements. I ordered five outfits and various necessities for her. While they attended to her, I picked out some new gear for myself as well.

​An hour later, we stepped back onto the street with our shopping bags. I saw a nearby restaurant and realized I was starving. I invited Lavender in, but she hesitated, so I practically had to pull her inside. I ordered enough food for five people.

​"Eat up. We need to finish all of this."

​Lavender sat stiffly, not touching her plate. I asked if she wanted something else.

​"No, Master... I'm just wondering... why are you eating with me?"

​I looked at her, confused. "Because it's lunchtime? We haven't eaten all day." I smiled. "And besides, we should celebrate. You're free from that merchant now."

​Her eyes went wide. "Free?"

​I pulled out the ownership contract I had just signed and tore it to pieces right in front of her. I admitted that I never had any intention of keeping her as a slave; I only bought her to set her free so she would never have to suffer abuse again.

​"You don't have to follow anyone's orders anymore. From now on, your life is your own," I said. I leaned over and unlatched the metal collar from her neck. "Lavender, you are free."

​She sat there in stunned silence. Tears began to stream down her face as she thanked me over and over. I was happy to see her smile, though I had to tell her to stop crying because we were starting to draw a crowd.

​As we walked back toward the forest, I started to feel the weight of my decisions. I whispered to Ora, asking for her take on the situation.

​"Ora, what now? Should we head back to the forest? Isn't our mission technically over?"

​"Don't ask me," Ora huffed. "You've completely derailed my plan. You never listen to me anyway."

​She reminded me that we were supposed to kill Lavender. Instead, I had spent a fortune to liberate her. Lavender overheard Ora's voice and shrunk back in fear.

​"Please... don't kill me."

​"I'm not going to kill you!" I hissed at Ora, then turned to Lavender. "She's just joking. I wouldn't spend all that money just to kill you right after."

​Ora eventually admitted that I might have a point—if we could prevent the tragedy that turned Lavender into a villain, the war might never happen. But she warned me that we didn't know what would trigger her hatred for the kingdom in the future. As long as Lavender held a Celestial Item, she remained a threat.

​I noticed Lavender was still clutching the metal collar I had removed from her.

​"You can throw that away, you know. You don't need it anymore."

​She just held it tighter and looked at the ground. I told her she didn't have to stay with me; she could go wherever she wanted. I pulled out my wallet and handed it to her, telling her to use the money to start a new life in Hayem.

​She didn't move. She just stood there, looking conflicted. I gave her a final smile and told her to be kind to others, then turned and started walking back toward the woods.

​I figured my conscience was clear. If she lived a free, happy life, she would never become the destroyer Ora feared. I left her there in the town, thinking it was safer for her than a cabin in a monster-infested forest.

​As I entered the treeline, I looked back. She was still standing there, watching me.

​"Are you sure about this?" Ora asked. "Leaving her in town alone?"

​"Of course," I replied. "What is she going to do in the forest? I can't leave her alone at the shack while I'm out training. No decent man leaves a girl in the middle of a monster woods. She's better off in the city."

​Ora conceded the point but suggested that Lavender could have been an asset in our fight against the other six members of the Black Scorpion, especially since she possessed a Celestial Item.

​"Why doesn't she use it then?" I asked. "If she's that powerful, why did she let herself be enslaved?"

​"She probably has no idea what it is," Ora mused. "She's terrified of everything. She likely doesn't even know how to trigger it."

​Ora lamented the missed opportunity, noting that Lavender's help would have made the mission to kill the others much easier.

​"Wait, you're still on that?" I asked. "Why do you always jump straight to killing them?"

​"Because," Ora answered coldly, "it's the simplest way."