Chapter 6: Corrupt Guildmaster Punishes the Director.

　I came to the port town of Woz in the northwest of the continent.

According to an old friend, the Delfoys are famous for being good people.

　I came to the biggest building in town, the Delfoy Orphanage.

　When I arrived with Frederica and the orphan Yui, we were ushered into the director’s office.

　After a few minutes of waiting.

“Oh, Yui!　We were worried about you!　Where have you been?”

　The man who came into the room was a middle-aged man with an uncanny grin on his face.

“I’m Delphoy, and I’m the director of this institution.”

” I am Act, the guildmaster of an Adventurer’s Guild. I protected this child in the forest. I’ve just come to drop her off.”

　I lightly interrogated him, but Delphoy did not change his color.

“I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused you.　You bad girl, you shouldn’t have left the orphanage without permission!”

　Yui was trembling as if she was frightened.

“Come on, Yui, come here.”

“Before that, I have one thing to negotiate with you.”

“Negotiate?　Is it about the reward for protecting her and sending her back to me?　Of course!　I’ll pay you.”

　I shake my head and take out a document from my magic bag.

“I’m trying to negotiate how much you’re willing to pay for these documents that are evidence of human trafficking.”

“Human trafficking, huh?　I didn’t do any such thing.”

“Well, take a look at those documents.”

　Delphoy picked up the document I had tossed him and ran his eyes over it.

Now…..and his face paled.

“Why …… do you have this ……?　You stole it and gave it to him, Yui!”

　She clung tightly to Frederica’s body, but shook her head clearly.

“Bullshit!　You stole them, didn’t you!　Otherwise, there’s no way he’d have the documents that are kept in the safe in the Director’s office!”

“Yui has nothing to do with this. It’s just a copy I made up.”

“Copy?”

　I took the papers from the shaken Delphoy and pushed it at him.

“I have a special eye for detail. In this room, I saw the [past] that you have written in the documents regarding human trafficking. All I had to do was transcribe the contents of the document before I came to you. The important documents are still in the safe.”

“As expected of the Master, he can quickly find evidence of wrongdoing and use it as a bargaining chip.”

　I sat down deeply on the sofa.

“Human trafficking without due process is a felony. The documentary evidence for that is right here in my head.”

“Damn it, ……!　How much?”

　He’s getting in on the negotiations.

　If the trafficking is discovered, he”ll be arrested immediately.

“How about the rights to the land and buildings of this orphanage, and the custody of all the children?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!　You can’t negotiate with me like that!”

“You know, if I wanted to, you’d be in the noose in a heartbeat.　It’s a small price to pay for what I just said.”

“Damn it, ……!　You’re the devil!”

“That’s right. What are you gonna do?”

“F**k. …… F**k!　Hold on a second!”

　Abbot Delphoy took a document from the shelf and signed it over to Act.

“The land, the rights to the buildings, the custody of the children, everything has been transferred.”

“I hope you’re not going to tell them about the trafficking!”

“Of course I’m not gonna tell them. I won’t”

　The door of the room opened with a thud.

“Ry-Ryosu-sama?!”

　The lord of the city, Woz, has arrived.

“Act ……, are you doing this bad thing again?”

　He chuckled as he approached me.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

“For what It is, Lord Woz is an old friend of mine. Now, I have a few questions I’d like to ask him.”

　The blood drained from Delphoy’s face.

“Wa-wait!　You!　You’re breaking the contract!”

“Yeah, if I told it myself. …… Yui.”

“Yes, …….”

　Yui comes over to me, walking away from Frederica.

“Tell the Lord. Tell him what this a*****e Abbot has done to your friend.”

“No, don’t say that!　Yui!　Don’t say it!”

　Delphoy tries to attack Yui.

“Frederica.”

Gyoi.

　She ran through like a gale, sweeping off her feet, setting her joints, and restraining the Director.

“Yui!　You!　I’ll kill you if you tell him!”

　I put my hand on Yui’s shoulder as she cowers.

“Don’t worry. I’m right here.”

“…… Yes.”

　Yui said with all her might as she came up to Lord Woz.

“Delphoi-san is a bad man who sold my dearest friend to the wrong people!”

　Woz made a thoughtful gesture.

“I understand. I’ll arrange a knight and have him bring the man in.”

“What?　My lord!　Do you really believe the words of a mere child?”

“If it’s just a kid, yes. But this is a child that Act brought with him. Then he must be trustworthy.”

“What kind of …… person is that, that man ……?”

　Lord Woz looks at me with a wry smile and says.

“He’s a self-proclaimed villain and a softy.”

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　Later that day, I was in the guildmaster’s room at the adventurer’s guild, “The Gem of Heavenly Gift.”

　Yui came to me.

“Act-sama!　It’s been a while!”

　She used to have a gloomy expression on her face, but now she had a bright smile on her face.

“How do you like your new orphanage?”

“It’s great!　All the staff are so kind, I can eat a full meal and sleep in a clean bed!　It’s heaven!”

　After that, Delphoy was being led away to the knights.

　A search of the house is conducted in the presence of the lord Woz, and evidence of misdeeds is exposed.

　Delphoy was arrested on charges of illegal human trafficking.

　The rights to the remaining orphanage land and buildings, as well as the children, were taken into custody by me.

　I sold off the rights and used the money to buy back all the children who had been sold off.

　All that was left was to build a new orphanage for the orphans to live in, and that’s where Yui and her friends are living.

“I’d like to thank you, …… Act. Thank you so much for everything!”

“Don’t worry, the mayor of the town wanted to build an orphanage. I was just owing him a favor. It’s not for you.”

　Pocan …… and Yui opens her mouth.

“This is the kind of person Master is.”

　When Frederica spoke in her ear, Yui nodded her head in agreement.

“Go home as soon as you’re done. Go play with your friends.”

“Um, ……, I actually came here to ask you for one thing!”

　Yui straightened her back and bowed her head deeply.

“I’d like you to make me your apprentice, Act-sama!”

　She said with a serious expression.

“I want to be a strong person like you, Act-sama. I don’t want to be weak like before, where I can’t do anything and just cry.”

“I see. Okay”

“I can understand why you would want to say no, “What can a little girl like me do?”　But I’m going to try my best to ……, huh?”

　Yui rolls her eyes.

“What did you say…..?”

“I said I’ll allow you to become my apprentice.”

I told Yui, who was confused.

“You want to be my apprentice?　If so, I’ll train you to be the next guild master. You don’t like it?”

“No, no, ……!　I’d love to!”

　I stood up, walked over to Yui and patted her on the head.

“You’re just a child. You should be living an easy life in an orphanage. You’ re not ready to set foot in this world.”

“Still, I want to be one of the first to ……. I want to be the best guildmaster, like you!”

　When I saw her determined gaze, I was convinced.

“You’ll be fine. You’ll be a good (as in not evil) guildmaster, unlike me.”

“No!　I want to be a vicious guildmaster like Master Act!”

“You’re a strange one, you know that?”

　Then Yui, and then Frederica, laugh and say.

“”Not as much as you!””

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