Chapter 56: The Slave Bracelet – Part 2

“What do you mean… we failed?”

I was left dumbfounded at the report from my subordinates.

The targets were, admittedly, adventurers—but they were just three young girls. Three! And yet here I was, commanding over ten fully grown adults.

And of course, these weren’t amateurs. As members of a gang, each of them should have had substantial combat ability, hardened by countless scrapes and life-or-death situations.

“How could we possibly lose?”

“W-Well… we couldn’t even land a scratch. Not only the target, who is a B-rank adventurer, but her companions… they were far stronger than we anticipated…”

“Tch… utterly useless.”

It seemed I had seriously underestimated my subordinates’ abilities.

But such a trivial setback would not shake me. A failure is merely a stepping stone, a lesson to refine strategy and devise a more optimal plan—that was the hallmark of someone like me.

Luckily, no one had died. All had returned, tail between their legs, to report back. I had already decided on the next move.

“That girl… she lives only with her father, the blacksmith, right?”

“Y-Yes… but during the day, the other craftsmen are—”

“I know that much. …We’ll strike at night. In the dead of night, when they are asleep. That should be easy enough even for you lot.”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

My flawless strategy left my subordinates no room for argument. Naturally, they obeyed without hesitation.

…Hmm? Could it have been easier if we had done this from the start—? No, no, that’s not it.

Even at night, carrying out such a plan in the middle of the city could cause a scene. That was why the best option was to strike inside the dungeon. Yes… that was undoubtedly the smartest approach.

In any case, with this, the target would soon be entirely within my grasp.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Who were those people, anyway?”

“I don’t know, but anyone who suddenly attacks in a dungeon like that isn’t exactly normal.”

Shifa and her companions had returned to the city.

“Still… I can’t believe they got away. If only that monster hadn’t shown up at that exact moment…”

Anii ground her teeth in frustration.

To be honest, the mysterious group that had ambushed them had hardly been impressive. Having cleared two difficult dungeon areas, the girls had fought bravely, unshaken by their numerical disadvantage.

Once the attackers realized they couldn’t win, they immediately tried to retreat. Of course, the girls weren’t about to let that happen.

Unfortunately, misfortune struck. A group of skeleton knights suddenly surged into the fray, forcing Shifa and her friends to deal with them—and giving the assailants just enough time to escape.

“Come to think of it, Shifa… haven’t strange people taken an interest in you before?”

“That was mostly about Dad.”

“Hmm… judging from what I’ve heard, I don’t think it was only him…”

Anii reminded her to stay cautious.

That night, Shifa woke to the faintest of noises.

“…Dad?”

Although nothing compared to Anii’s hunter’s instincts, Shifa’s senses—sharpened over years as an adventurer—immediately detected something amiss in the hallway outside.

Currently, only Shifa and her father lived in this house. Normally, any movement at this hour would be her father going to the restroom—but no one moved with such stealth.

Moreover, it seemed there was more than one presence.

The moment Shifa slid out of bed, the door creaked open. Several men dashed into the darkness of her room.

“Stop right there!”

Instinctively, she activated her gift: [Empress’s Majesty].

“!!!”

The men froze mid-step, stunned both by Shifa’s presence and the overwhelming effect of her gift. Seizing the moment, Shifa lunged forward.

“Gwah!?”

“Ugh!”

“Bugh!?”

Normally, she fought with a spear—but inside the house, it had been left in storage. Bare-handed, she struck with full force. The cramped space actually worked to her advantage, giving her room to maneuver.

Her blows sent the men sprawling one by one.

“She’s awake?!”

“Doesn’t matter! Finish them off!”

The attackers tried to rally, shaken but determined to continue their assault. Yet at the very moment they attempted to regain the initiative, Shifa’s voice rang out with commanding authority:

“Bow down.”

“!!!”

Her control was absolute. The hallway was too narrow for the attackers to leverage their numerical superiority.

“R-Retreat!”

By the time they realized escape was their only option, most had already collapsed, unconscious.

“Fuh… what a noisy night… what the—whoa?!”

“Dad!”

Blocking the retreat path was a large, hairy man—Shifa’s father, Billy, who had been sleeping in another room. One attacker, desperate, shouted:

“Take him hostage!”

“Got it!”

“W-Who are you people…!?”

One of them lunged at Billy—but in the next instant, his thick arm smashed into the man’s face.

“Just so you know, Dad used to be a military blacksmith.”

“Sometimes, when forces were lacking, they’d throw me on the frontlines! And I’m just a blacksmith! Ha ha ha!”

Several assailants escaped, but the others were captured by the city guards, who had arrived swiftly thanks to a tip from Billy and their lordly connections.

By the time it was all over, dawn was breaking. Sleepy and exhausted, Shifa staggered back to her room.

“?”

Something caught her eye in the corner.

“…A bracelet?”

It was intricately crafted, clearly valuable. At first she wondered if it belonged to her father—but such decorative items didn’t suit his practical nature.

Half-asleep and thinking little of it, Shifa slipped it onto her right wrist.

Immediately, a chill ran through her body, banishing all drowsiness.

“…It won’t come off.”

It would be hours later before she realized the bracelet was enchanted.