Otome Game Mob Villain

Chapter 158

"Lord Ridd, Lord Riner says he has time now and asks you to come to his office."

"Understood. Thank you, Diana."

Upon hearing Diana's words upon her return, I quickly stood up from the sofa.

Then, looking at Emma and Chris, I smiled warmly.

"Well then, I'm off. I'll let everyone in the mansion know that you two will be waiting here, so if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Lord Ridd, I'm sorry for making such an unreasonable request. Please take care of it..."

They stood up like me and tried to bow their heads, but I hurriedly stopped them.

"Don't worry about it so much. This is necessary for us too, either way. I'll come back after my discussion with Father."

"Yes, we'll be waiting."

After finishing my conversation with Chris and Emma, I left the reception room.

While moving toward Father's office, I informed Diana that the two would be waiting in the reception room until my discussion with Father concluded.

"Understood. I'll convey that to everyone."

"Yeah, please do."

Hearing my words, Diana stopped, bowed, and then headed in a different direction.

She must be going to inform everyone in the mansion and Galun about Chris and Emma.

Watching her leave, I hurried alone to the office where Father was waiting.

◇

Arriving in front of the office, I tried to knock as usual, but hearing voices from inside, I paused for a moment.

"Who could that be? I recognize the voices, though..."

I was a bit curious, but I knocked anyway.

After hearing Father's response, I entered the office to find two knights apparently talking with Father.

One was a male knight slightly shorter than Rubens but with a similar build and a rugged face.

The other, with a sturdy build and a striking bald head and beard, gave off a tough guy impression.

The tough guy, upon seeing me, grinned and spoke energetically.

"Oh!! Lord Ridd, it's been a while! How have you been?"

"Captain Dainas!! You've returned?"

Captain Dainas—yes, the tough-looking knight's true identity is Dainas, the captain of the Baldia Knights.

He's a person often absent from the mansion, busy with border patrol between Baldia and other countries, dungeon subjugation, and other crime suppression duties.

However, I hear his swordsmanship is on par with Father's, and he leads the Baldia Knights with his character and skill.

Dainas stared at me as if observing, then grinned even more heartily than before.

"Hmm... Your expression has changed considerably since before. Excellent, excellent!! I've heard from Rubens about your 'unconventional prodigy' ways. With you here, Lord Ridd, Baldia is secure."

Finishing his words, he laughed heartily, "Gahahaha!"

A bit daunted by his boisterousness, I still smiled and looked at Dainas.

"R-really? Thank you. But I wish you'd stop calling me an 'unconventional prodigy.'"

"Is that so? I think it's a good title. Far better than being called nothing, don't you think? Whatever they say, just hold your head high!!"

Dainas responded to my words and again let out a hearty "Gahahaha!"

Seeing this, Father looked slightly exasperated, but the other knight spoke up, cautioning Dainas.

"Captain, I think you're overwhelming Lord Ridd and Lord Riner? Your laughter is a little... no, quite loud, I think."

Dainas immediately stopped laughing upon being cautioned.

Then, glaring at the knight with a fierce, intimidating face, after a short pause, his expression softened, and he sighed.

"Haa... Cross, you're as stiff as ever."

"No, no, Captain, you're just too boisterous."

Cross, as he was called, despite the considerable size difference with Dainas, didn't flinch and responded directly to Dainas.

Seeing this, I couldn't help but give a wry smile.

"Fufu... Vice-Captain Cross seems as troubled as ever."

"Lord Ridd, forgive me for the late greeting. However... you're right. I sincerely hope someone else can be assigned to look after the captain soon. I was just asking Lord Riner about that today."

He spoke with a nonchalant, joking air while casting troubled glances at Dainas and Father.

Cross is the vice-captain of the Baldia Knights.

He basically operates alongside Dainas, so he's also rarely at the mansion.

A boisterous captain and a somewhat mischievous vice-captain, I suppose?

With them here, the office atmosphere feels brighter than usual.

Though the room's temperature also feels higher.

Father, watching our exchange, looked slightly tired as he gazed at Dainas and Cross.

"That's enough. I understand the reports and requests from the captain and vice-captain. I'll consider the request favorably, in particular."

Reacting to Father's words, Cross's face lit up with joy, his eyes sparkling.

"Lord Riner... My wife is expecting our second child soon!! Please, take good care of my request!!"

"I understand, I understand!! Don't get so desperately worked up!! I said I'd consider it favorably, didn't I?! More importantly, Ridd and I have a meeting after this. Sorry, but could you two excuse us?"

"Understood. We'll take our leave now. Let's go, Cross!!"

After hearing Father's words, Dainas and Cross bowed to us and, surprisingly politely and quietly, left the office.

After they left, the office suddenly fell silent, and I felt the room's temperature return to normal.

Like the calm after a storm, perhaps?

I looked at Father with a wry smile.

"Fufu... It's been a while since I last saw them, but the captain and vice-captain are as lively as ever."

"Hmm... They're both capable, and their skills and characters are beyond reproach, but..."

Father smiled slightly in response to my wry smile but quickly returned to his usual stern expression and tense atmosphere, looking at me intently.

"So... Diana said it was 'urgent,' and I made time. What's the matter?"

"Actually, I received a report from Chris regarding the slave purchase. That's why I requested this time to consult with you urgently."

Father's eyes sharpened upon hearing my words.

"...I see. Let's hear it."

"Thank you."

Father stood from his office desk and gestured for me to sit on the sofa.

As usual, we sat on the sofas across from each other with the table between us, and I looked at Father intently.

"To put it bluntly, following the report and advice I received from Chris today, I would like to proceed with purchasing slaves."

"...I see. So, how many slaves are we purchasing? About ten?"

At the mention of slave purchase, Father's eyebrow twitched, and his expression grew stern.

Looking at Father's expression, I spoke deliberately.

"...About 150."

"...? What did you say?"

Unusually, Father's expression went blank.

To that, I calmly repeated the number of slaves to purchase.

"Um, as I said, about 150. By the way, apparently at least ten from each tribe, and they're promising children aged six to seven, the same age as me."

"Haa... Give me the details. We'll talk after that."

Father seemed to understand that he hadn't misheard, put his hand to his forehead, looked down, shook his head slightly, sighed, and then spoke.

I let out a dry laugh at his reaction.

"Ahaha... I suppose 'Okay, understood' wasn't going to happen..."

"Of course not!!"

It was the moment Father, by my prompting, let out a roar so loud that Dainas's earlier hearty laughter seemed cute in comparison.