“She’s weak,” the merchant said, nudging the raccoon-eared girl with a boot. “But cheap.”
Naofumi stared at the girl. Her name, he would later learn, was Raphtalia. But in this moment, she was just inventory. A pair of terrified amber eyes stared back from a mat of dirty hair. The old Naofumi—the one from the library, the one who believed in teamwork—would have walked away. He would have found another way. -Az-Animex- Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari - 02 -B...
“I’ll take her,” Naofumi said, his voice flat. He felt the seal burn onto his palm—the Slave Crest. It was a disgusting magic, a leash of pain. But as he led the trembling girl out of the tent, he realized the truth: She was his sword. And he was her shield. Not out of love. Out of necessity. But in this moment, she was just inventory