5. Meanwhile, at that time ~ Expulsion party perspective ~

?Silver Wings went to fulfill a quest received from the Adventurer's Guild.

?In the woods, where monsters are, normally adventurers are wary and walk quietly, but they were walking while laughing loudly.

"Buhhahahaha! Did you see the look on that piece of trash's face? He looked so desperate! He must have thought he could be an aristocrat by being a parasite!" (Azel)

"It was really interesting. It was so funny. Ah, my chest feels refreshed." (Mia)

"Ah, I laugh when I remember. Let's finish this chore first and go drink."

?They go hunting for a B-rank Red Wolf, which Fels can now easily defeat.

??They were unprepared and assumed they wouldn’t get hurt.

"Hey,  luggage carrier! Watch quietly. If you get in the way, I'll kill you."

"Yes ..."

?I also got a new slave. Now this party can go up.

"Oh, isn't this the first time a Red Wolf came to us? This saves us the trouble of searching!"

?A Red Wolf doesn’t challenge anyone stronger than itself.

?Therefore, it never attacked in the presence of Nigris.

?*

"Shit! Why did we lose to a B rank Red Wolf ...!"

"Hu, We were just too careless!"

?The S-rank party Silver wings were defeated and injured.

?Azel hits the trees in the forest to relieve his frustration.

?However, he's still angry.

"... Hey, baggage carrier"

"Yes ...?"

?The new adventurer who entered was excited to be invited to an S rank party. However, the reality was ruthless and what he got were hellish chores and slave-like treatment.

"I failed because you were there ..."

"I told you to watch out but you didn’t listen...!"

?Perhaps Azel didn't like the way he replied, he pulled out his sword and pointed it at him.

?And without hesitation,

"Gyaaaa!"

"This is what happens when you talk back to me, ......!"

?The newcomer's arm was cut off.

"Hey, you! That's overkill!"

"Shut up! Shall I slash you too? Ah !?"

?An S-rank party was forced to struggle against a B-rank monster. What does this mean?

?The trust, status, and accomplishments that they had accumulated up until now might be wiped out.

?The horror of this dominated Azel.

"We're the only ones who know about this. We'll kill him and pretend that the newcomer dragged his feet and died."

?Azel, Mia, and the other two agreed to this without saying anything. This was just bad luck. It was just a coincidence.

?If they obeyed, they could become nobles.

?The newcomer was killed.

"......, let's quickly kill the Empress of the slums."

"It's a request from a great noble. But I heard that the Empress of the slums is a very powerful woman.”(Mia)

?The silver wings also receive quests from aristocrats.

Among them, this was a big job. The great noble who is the right arm of the Prime minister requested the murder of the empress.

How difficult could it be to kill the empress of some slums?

"Idiot! If we kill the Empress, we'll become SS rank!"

?It was because of this quest that I decided to expel Nigris.

?In order to reach the SS rank, we must make great achievements.

?The mission is to get rid of the obstacle, which is beyond the reach of the kingdom.

"The slums are cruel and it's said that anyone who opposes them will die. If we get caught, we may be killed. I’ve heard the empress has the worst personality, so we have to be careful."

"We're Silver Wings! Rumor has it that the Empress hates men. I'd love to see a woman like that brought to her knees. ...... I won't kill her until I'm done with her!”(Azel)

?He didn't listen to me at all, and I knew it was useless to say anything more.

?Somehow, I had a bad feeling.

?Is it really coincidence that we lost to a B-rank monster? I haven't even been hurt before, but this happened the moment we banished Nigris.

?I'm sure it's a coincidence. It was because of yesterday's heavy drinking.

?With that in mind, we go back to the inn.

6. Empress of the slums

?There are many dangerous places in the slums. In fact, we’re in a place that even residents are scared to approach.

?When we set foot in the slums, we were surrounded by bandits. and when we were told that the Empress wanted to see us, we were brought to the bandits' hideout.

"You're the incompetent who was expelled from the S-ranked party that everyone is talking about?”

?At a glance, it was clear that the incredible beauty sitting on the throne was the empress.

?Her long, lacquered hair was cut and trimmed, and she wore a costume sewn with gold thread and jeweled ornaments. As her bewitching eyes caught sight of me. I could feel a hint of hostility in the depths of her eyes.

?It seems that she has no intention of fighting even though she's hostile.

??I can hear the strong sound of teeth grinding coming from Fels standing next to me.

?I'm happy she denies that I'm incompetent, but it's dangerous for now.

?If she rampages here, we'll turn all the favelas into an enemy. Still, I can't scold a child who gets angry for me.

"Head! This guy is famous for being incompetent! He can't do anything anyway, we should get rid of him quickly!"

?One of her subordinates says so.

?Are they attacking?

?The empress stood up and kicked the man.

?She stomped on him and looked at him as if she was looking at filth.

"You fool. I’ve told you that judging people based on rumors is your weakness."

"Sorry, I'm sorry!"

?...... Is he happy? It's probably just my imagination.

?Certainly, I’ve never seen a woman as beautiful as her. I've heard that there was an incredibly beautiful woman in the slums, but it's not just beauty. She also seems to have leadership skills.

?Her dignity, ruthlessness, and the way she looks at things speak for themselves.

?People who make decisions that aren’t bound by emotions move based on profit and loss. If I can present the Empress's a good reason, she'll allow us to live in the slums.

"... The rumor of incompetence seems likely to be a lie."

?She said something in a whisper, but I couldn't hear it well.

?Florence turned on her heel and returned to her throne. The scent of citrus on the breeze tickled my nostrils.

?I was peeking at this woman and used appraisal in a way I wouldn’t be noticed.

?She has a pretty good status.

[Race] Human

?Florence 26 years old Condition: Alert

?Small magic power?

?Swordsmanship S / S

?Magic D / C

?Dexterity C / B

?Loyalty 0

[Serious condition]

?She is deeply wounded in mind and body.

?I'm curious about the last sentence......

?You might think Fels has the stronger status. But Fels is just strong in potential.

?It's too dangerous to compare a person who is still growing with a person who’s already grown up.

?Even if Fels has the higher potential, she’s still only a "B" in terms of ability and can’t win.?

Even though the people around her aren’t very strong, Florence is still a problem.

?Let's not let our guard down.

"A few days ago, there was a man who stole in the royal capital and an injured guard."

?Florence says with a cheek face.

"The man who was stealing was an adventurer from the slums who was told he would never recover after a monster hurt his arm. But someone healed it. The person also told a nearby guard to use a bow and discovered an ability that even he didn't know he had. Because of that guard, one of my subordinates took an arrow to the leg. "

?Apparently, she’s investigated more than the rumors about me.

?Fels' vigilance grew even stronger.

?However, I noticed that the status of Florence has not changed from [Alert].

?If Florence intends to fight, the status will be displayed as Danger.

?I guess she’s just confirming the facts and complaining a little.

?From Florence's point of view, her companion was injured because of me. It makes sense to get angry. I accepted it honestly and resolved to heal him later.

"Nigris, a healer with appraisal skills. Sooner or later, I intended to call you."

?It seems that my ability has been recognized to some extent.

"I don't think I'll be useful."

"Don't be humble. I don't hate men of integrity, but I don't like them either."

"I'm not humble, but ... well."

?I was wondering if a healer would be needed in the slums. I heard hunger and illness are more prevalent here than in the royal capital.

?Moreover, there are many crimes that can’t be revealed.

?Actually, I was slightly aware of it.

?Why do healers disappear?

?The status that I had just read, [serious psychological condition].

?Somehow, I made the connection.

"In other words, you collect all the healers who might be able to cure you and erase them if they make a mistake."

"You used appraisal? Looks like you have pretty good skills. I can't believe you were an incompetent who was banished from an S rank party. "

?Florence also has considerable ability. Otherwise, it would be impossible to control the bandits and reign as the empress of the slums.

?I’m now aware that my power is different from other healers.

?Thanks to Fels, I noticed it and was convinced in the last few days.

?My healing magic is pretty good. That doesn't mean It can’t fail.

?If it fails here, they’ll try to kill us.

?Failure was not an option. I stepped forward.

"If I can heal you, please allow me to live here."

"Very well. I will not only allow you to live here but also give you the best place to live. But if you fail, you will die. “

" Nigris-sama, you don't have to gamble so much. This is clearly one-sided ????"

"Little elf girl. I haven't asked you."

?The Empress of the slums. I've heard of her, but she's quite cunning when she’s right in front of you.

?She locks you in her nest and makes sure you have no place to escape.

?Is there no veto right? it can’t be helped.

"……Alright"

?Either way, I got her word.

?Then all I have to do is cure Florence. As a healer, if she needs help, I’ll help her.

" Nigris-sama! This woman is dangerous!"

"To worry about your master in this situation. What a good slave."

"I'm not a slave. I'm a companion."

?After a brief glance, Florence says, "Ho ...".

?I was a little annoyed when my friend was called a slave.

?I hate it when people insult my friends.

?I vowed that I would never do the same, as they did in my previous party.

??I didn't want Fels to have to go through that pain.

"Oh well. Only you can follow me."

"Fels. Can you wait for a bit?"

" Nigris-sama..."

?I lightly stroke her head and follow Florence.

?It was to the bedroom in the back.

7. Empress's past

<Empress POV>

?This mistress was a slave. {TN: from here the empress tends to refer to herself like an old traditional Japanese lady}

?As a child, she had been made a spectacle of by filthy men and had lived by drinking muddy water. She had survived, sometimes through unspeakable pain and humiliation.

?I don’t want to die. I reached out with my natural desire as a human being.

?As a child, this mistress was aware of it. People are not equal.

"No! Stop it!"

?A man branded me to make me give in.

?Proof of a slave that never disappears. Even if I scratched it, broke my skin, or messed it up with a sword, the branding mark did not disappear.

?I killed the man and climbed to my current position only with my sword talent and good looks. The men who were bullying me began to kneel to me.

?It was comfortable. At the same time, I was afraid. No one can see the brand mark on this mistress.

?This mistress is beautiful and sung about as the most beautiful woman in the world, but part of my body is terribly purulent and ugly.

?This mistress hates men. Men and those who have ...... slaves with them.

?And I hate healers who claim to be able to heal me then try to threaten me with my secret.

?This guy is the same anyway.

?He says that he can heal this mistress, but if he learns my secret and threatens this mistress,

?I’ll never forgive him.

?*

<Nigris POV>

?The empress's bedroom.

?I was rendered speechless by Florence's exposed shoulder.

"What is ...... this?"

?There was a deep skin-colored branding and shredded skin. It was infected in places, and the sight was too much.

"don't talk too much. Can it be cured or not? be clear."

"No, this is ????"

"So you’re also a fake! Are you threatening to tell people about what you’ve seen?"

"It'll take time"

"Huh?"

?I took off her cloak and grabbed her wrist.

?Even if I use healing magic, it's not a normal injury or illness.

?Engraving of slaves is now banned, but it was the norm in the past.

"Stay still"

"What ... huh, don't touch me!"

?I touch her shoulder.

?It's thinner and whiter than I expected.

?That's why the wound looks more painful.

"Florence. I'm going to heal your wound. So don't complain if I peek at your ...... past for a little while."

?Feelings were important to use magic.

?The desire to save the person with compassion strengthens the effect in healing magic.

?As a result, I often go too deep and see the person's past.

?She can’t complain even if I look into it.

"But no healer could heal this wound! How could you ..."

"Then why were you still looking for a healer?"

"Well, that is ..."

?Florence has always wanted to get rid of this scar.

?So she struggled even though she knew it was impossible.

?This strengthens my desire to help her.

"Heal"

?At the same time as I applied healing magic, Florence’s memories flow in.

?...... she really was a former slave?

?After a few minutes, I finally succeeded in erasing the branding mark.

?Although the wound isn’t fully healed, it will heal completely without leaving any marks if it’s healed repeatedly.

"Huh, really ... the branding..."

"I’m sorry, I saw a little of your past."

"This mistress hates men ..."

?Is she frustrated or happy? Florence was biting her lower lip and looked flushed.

"The healing is done and the branding is removed. Now you'll allow me to live here right?"

"… You’re not going to threaten me?"

"Threaten you? With what?”

"This mistress is a beautiful woman! There are many men who want to take advantage of me because they learned this secret!"

"I don’t"

?I strongly affirm that.

?I consider healers who extort or threaten their patients to be third-rate. I'm a second-rate healer myself, but it's something I'm trying to keep in mind so I don't fall behind.

"... What a kind man you are?"

?Florence looked down and was taken aback. She seemed like a little girl somehow. And somehow, the position was just right, so it felt the same as Fels ... and I did it unconsciously.

"You’ve been doing your best until now. It was painful."

?I stroked her head.

?Crap, she said she hates me, but I just did it!

?Florence is different from Fels who would be pleased with this!

"Th… this ... this is not comforting this mistress ... not comforting... Nya, Nyah yame (Stop) ..."

?Unexpectedly a weak powerless punch hit my abdomen.

?It didn't hurt.

"Why, this mistress hates men ... yet my heart is in pain. what is this feeling!"

"Does it hurt somewhere? I can heal it"

"Stay away from me! I won't accept this!"

?I woke the powerlessly crouching Florence and went back to the hall to tell them that the treatment was over.

?*

"Nigris-sama! I was worried!"

"I’m okay, sorry for worrying you."

?From behind, Florence came out.

?She seemed to have regained her composure along the way, having a dignified look while blushing.

"Head! Did the mysterious illness heal?"

"... Prepare"

"Yes?"

"Prepare a house for me and Nigris to live!"

"Eh !?"

?Florence's subordinates, the bandits start making noise.

?...... She said she would give me the best house if the healing was successful.

?I realized Florence was in the rare category in the slums, that fulfilled their promises.

?I might want to trust her a little cause she may be able to help me with my business.

"I can't believe it!"

"The man-hating head ......."

"Has the face of a maiden!”

?Florence's men were clamoring saying they couldn't believe it.

?Wait, live with her ... she’s kidding right. Let's pretend I didn’t hear that, it sounds troublesome just thinking about it.

" Nigris-sama! If you have something you want other than the house, please don't hesitate to ask!" (Florence)

" You're getting too familiar with Nigris-sama!"

" I only wish to understand what I feel for Nigris-sama!"

?For the time being, I decided to have her guide me to the house.

8. New base

?Even though it was a slum, the area managed by Florence is quite good.

?From the center of the royal capital where the adventurer's guild is located, the environment of the slums gets worse and worse the further you go. Florence is said to be ruthless and a demon, but in fact, she was a fairly sensible supervisor.

?Among them, I was given a house with extremely good conditions ... or rather, it was almost a mansion.

?Surrounded by forests a little away from the slum, there are no other inhabitants. We can live quietly here.

?The interior is normal, but living in such a house in the slums feels uncomfortable.

?I've never received this kind of treatment at the party I was in before.

?It feels like being an aristocrat.

?Florence and her subordinates lead me to the guest room and I sit across them.

"This is all I can do. If you want, I can give the mistress’ property as well.:

"No, it's just ... I'm in trouble with money."

?It's more than enough for a base.

?Even though I just healed her injury, I’m extremely pleased when I compare it to my previous treatment.

?A normal small house would have been nice though.

"Then, how about I make a request to Nigris-sama?”

 "A request? For example, do you want your subordinates to be healed?"

"Stay by my side"

"... Isn’t there a more proper job?"

?It's been like this all day. It's hard to keep a conversation going.

?Fels then pulls on my sleeve.

?Is she a little angry? I felt like she was, but she then whispered in my ear.

?It’s not like I was hoping for it.

" Nigris-sama. How about using your appraisal skills to advise Florence's subordinates?"

"Advice ... Certainly, it's a job that only I can do."

?After listening to Fels' advice and speaking to Florence, she let out a voice of admiration and agreed.

?The fee is exceptional, one gold coin per person. I said I didn't need that much, but she didn't listen.

?I appraise the subordinates who came to the mansion as escorts one by one.

"Appraisal"

?Ten people.

?It took about 30 minutes, but it turned out to be interesting.

?When I touch the person who I’m appraising, I can feel the strength and agility of that person.

?It's a new discovery, but it can't be displayed with numbers or letters like A.

?Their aptitude for swordsmanship is high, and all of them are B-class humans.

?No one has magical aptitude.

??I'd like to have an attack magician in my party as well.

"You should use a spear instead of a sword. You're strong and have good dexterity. And since you're not very tall, you'll be good with your hands."

 "Oh, oh ... I've never used a spear."

"I don't have much experience with opponents either, but if you’re facing a swordsman, you can passively aim at their feet. If you see an opening and strike it, you won't lose."

"Wow, you’re amazing."

?I choose a weapon the person is likely to be suited for, and if he’s already chosen it, give advice on what’s likely to improve.

?……Nostalgic. I used to give this kind of advice to my ex-party members. I was brushed off with "none of your business" though.

?I never expected them to threaten me and even pull out a sword.

?Now that I'm getting paid, I have to do my job properly.

?No matter what happened to them in the future, I decided I wouldn't get involved.

?I have a reliable companion called Fels after all.

?After finishing all the tasks, I sit down in my room to take a break.

?A few moments later, Fels came in and put a drink next to me.

"Please have a drink"

"Hmm, thank you ... what's wrong?"

?Nothing showed on her face, but her pointed ears, the characteristic of elves, were dyed red, and she asked while holding the edge of her skirt.

"Um, Nigris-sama. What do you think of my outfit?"

" Where did you find a maid uniform?"

"It was in the mansion, does it look good?"

"Yeah, it's cute"

?The basic maid's uniform and the open chest area captured Fels' features well. The blonde hair and the white dress go well together.

?I almost forgot she’s 12 years old.

?Does she plan to be a maid while we're in this mansion?

"I’ll take care of Nigris-sama's personal affairs."

"No, no ... I can do that myself."

"No, I'm Nigris-sama’s slave."

?Until now, I've done all the chores myself, so I'm not used to the feeling of having others do it.

?...... Well, I wonder if Fels is having fun.

9. ?Second companion?

?It was the first day after my life at the mansion.

?I was thinking that it was time to raise my adventurer rank from D rank. It would be fine to exchange monster materials for cash, but the rewards would be better if I accepted quests at a higher rank.

?Thinking of the future, it will be important to raise the rank, so we went back to the capital.

"I want to eat a hamburger!"

"Alright. I've been relying on Fels a lot lately, so let’s go get a hamburger?"

"Thank you!"

?Fels, who couldn't even give me an opinion until a while ago, gradually began to express herself.

?She's always been a cheerful child, but this is a nice change. It makes me happy inside. We enter the restaurant and sit down.

?Looking around the shop, I noticed one area that was quite deserted.

?Why aren't there any customers around there?

?There was a red-haired girl and a big man there.

"Get away from me!?I can't go on an adventure with someone of filthy blood!"

?An angry voice echoed.

?When I turned around for some reason, the red-haired girl I mentioned earlier was being beaten on her knees.

?She has a strong gaze with slightly slanted red eyes.

?Her red hair color is also different from the people around her.

?Other adventurers notice the turmoil

"Hey, don't look at Nino people.”

"Filthy blood. Can't even eat around them.”

"Where did this maggot come from?"

?A barrage of abusive words was being thrown at her.

?Nino people. It’s a word I haven’t heard before.

?It may be because I’m originally not from the royal capital.

"You’re a Nino who can only use fireballs, you have no talent, yet you still want to be a wizard?”

"Yes, my Fireball is the strongest!"

"Gahahaha! You're an idiot. Wizards are capable because they can use multiple attributes! If you can't, just go be a whore!"

?The girl had things thrown at her and was bullied so hard she wasn’t able to stand up.

?...... It's terrible.

?The girl didn't seem to be doing anything wrong, and I'm curious about the word Nino.

"Do you know what Nino is Fels?"

"Yes. I hear that the Nino people have red eyes and red hair, and according to folklore, it's because they ate human flesh and bathed in blood. In addition, I've heard that the Ninos are said to have low intelligence and tainted blood because of their lack of magical talent. "

?So that's it. It’s just racism.

?Fels seemed less conscious of that and gave a pitiful gaze towards the Nino girl.

?To be honest, I don't feel comfortable watching racism either.

?Fels said she wanted to eat a hamburger by herself.

?You can't eat deliciously in this kind of air.

"Stop it now"

"Hey, aren't you the incompetent banished from the S rank party!"

?I grabbed the man's arm tightly.

"Urgh! Let go ???? It hurts!"

"Heal"

"Shit, my arm’s broken ... huh?"

"I broke it and healed it immediately"

" I'll sue you!"

"You have no evidence, or do you want me to break it again?"

?The man’s face distorted as I began to add pressure.

"No, stop! It’s my fault!"

?The man said this then left the place in a hurry.

"Why did you help me?"

"Because I wanted to help. Can you stand?"

?She flicked my hand away and stood up.

?She probably thinks I’m the same as the people around me.

?She’s been discriminated against her whole life, so it's not surprising.

"That man hit me with all his might. I absolutely won’t forgive... huh?"

"I've healed you"

"...Who are you?"

She still looked at me with suspicion, but now that I healed her, she knew I wasn't an enemy.

"Please stay away. You'll be disliked If you're involved with me,"

"I'm a person who is hated from the beginning. I can't go any lower."

"……What do you mean?"

"Have you heard of the banished incompetent from the S rank party?"

?I said it myself, but I realized that this name would be more familiar than saying my own name.

?There’s no need for an explanation.

"Oh... you also have a sad past."

?If I look closely, this girl is seriously cute. I couldn't really tell because the robe was covering her body, but she has a neat face.

?She’s a cute type of girl.

"I'm the same! I've been living a bloody life with this red fate since I was born ... this is a curse!"

"Are you cursed?"

"No, I haven't even had an illness since I was born."

?Ah.... this is the type of person you can't have a conversation with.?I don't think she's a bad person, but it's a one-way street.

?Well, at least she’s fine.

?For now, I try to appraise her on a whim.

[Race] Nino

Alisa Scarlet 17 years old Condition: Alert

Great magic power

Swordfighter D / D

Magic S / SS

Dexterity D / D

Loyalty 0

[Primitive fireball user]

I am destined to use only fireballs.

?Buha!??

?What's with this status!??

?Well, magic SS is about the same as Fels' swordfighter aptitude!

?No, rather ... all the other stats are dead.

?Still, is her magic potential ability SS? Isn't S still above Fels?

?I'm curious about the last line’s [primitive fireball user], but is it a kind of curse? No, it's not. I've never seen such a notation.

?Is it a kind of skill?

?I have Fels as a swordsman, but no wizard. Besides, there aren't many with an SS magic aptitude.

?I definitely want to make her my companion ...

"Are you looking for a party?"

"So what? If you’re after my body, quit it. You'll get hurt."

"No. You have talent in magic."

?I thought I should say this without hiding it.

?Tell her what I think, rather than trying to deceive her.

"Huh, you know about my talent!?"

"Sorry. I took the liberty of appraising you."

"Fufu, fine, I'll show you my talent!"

?We received a quest together and headed to the forest.