The Betrayed Necromancer - Chapter 6

Gina the Merchant

"A pleasure to meet you, Lord Gaoran. Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule for me."

The person who entered with good manners was a strikingly beautiful woman.

She had a friendly smile and big, round eyes. Her figure was exceptional, and she wore a pair of glasses that suited her well.

On top of her long, fluffy brown hair stood a pair of prominent, perky beast ears. Their shape closely resembled those of a fox. It seemed she was a fox beastkin.

"My name is Gina. Please remember me."

When Gina smiled warmly, Gaoran let his guard down completely and grinned. "Oh, take a seat. Glad you could make it," he said, gesturing for her to sit in the seat opposite him across the table.

Though he tried not to stare, his eyes kept darting to Gina's ample chest.

(Oh man, today is my lucky day! I've never seen such a babe even in the royal capital?! Ah... I want to mess her up right now...!!)

Gaoran swallowed hard as he imagined humiliating Gina in his mind.

If his subordinates weren't watching, he might not have been able to hold back and would have assaulted her right then and there.

"So... what do you want with me, Ms. Gina? I heard it's a matter that could benefit me."

Gaoran asked, looking at Gina as if devouring her with his eyes.

He could assault and ruin her whenever he wanted. Business came first. If he could squeeze money out of her to the absolute limit, he could always ravage her afterward.

This place was Gaoran's home turf. Once someone stepped in here, there was no escaping.

"Yes. Actually, I am establishing a new merchant guild, and I would very much like to make Borut one of our business bases. That is why I came to pay my respects to Lord Gaoran, who governs this area."

"I see..."

Gaoran narrowed his eyes as he looked at Gina.

――She doesn't seem to be lying.

After observing her, Gaoran came to that conclusion.

Gaoran did not possess special abilities like magic or necromancy. Instead, he possessed exceptional physical prowess and a wild intuition.

Unless someone was clearly far superior to him or exceptionally skilled at lying, they couldn't fool him. At the very least, the woman in front of him did not seem capable of such a feat.

"Business, huh? I wouldn't think you can make a huge profit in Borut, but do you have a good plan?"

"Yes. I have a plan that will satisfy Lord Gaoran. Would you at least hear me out?"

As Gina explained, shifting her posture, her cleavage heaved, locking the gazes of the men in the room onto it.

Wonder if we'll get some leftovers after he's done. 

Gaoran's subordinates looked at him with envy.

"Alright, fine. I'm busy and don't really have the time for this... but you're special. You may speak."

"Thank you. I appreciate it. However, if you don't mind, could we discuss the details in private?"

Gina said, glancing at the surrounding subordinates.

For a moment, Gaoran considered asking why he should dismiss them, but he swallowed the question.

I get it. You want to be alone with me, huh? 

Convinced that the other party was completely on board, Gaoran wore a grinning smile.

"Understood. You guys, step outside. I've got a lot to talk about with this young lady."

When Gaoran shooed his subordinates away with a wave of his hand, they complied and left the room. Now, only Gaoran and Gina remained in the room; there was no one left to disturb them.

"You're quite bold, wanting to be alone with me right off the bat. Well, I don't dislike how fast you are. In fact, it's my preference."

Gaoran stood up from his chair and reached out toward Gina sitting opposite him.

However, the moment his hand touched her, Gina gracefully evaded it with effortless motion, and Gaoran's hand grabbed empty air.

"Hah?"

"Lord Gaoran. Shall we talk business first?"

"…Tch. You sure like to tease."

Though feeling irritated, Gaoran sat back down in his chair.

"We can talk business later. You can just send someone else over later. Umm... what was the name of the guild you belong to again?"

"Ah, I haven't mentioned it yet, have I? The guild I belong to is――Crow Trading Company."

The moment Gina spoke that name, Gaoran froze.

The smirk vanished from his face, and he glared at Gina with a sharp, murderous gaze.

"Is something wrong?"

"…No, nothing. I just thought it was a weird name."

Gaoran said this, trying to dissociate himself from the guild's name.

It has nothing to do with me. It shouldn't have anything to do with that guy, he told himself. But as if seeing right through his thoughts, Gina continued.

"Nothing. Is that really true? Isn't this the name of the comrade you betrayed?"

"…?! You bastard, where did you hear that?!"

Gaoran stood up, adopting a combat stance.

The fact that the hero party Dragontail betrayed Crow was a secret known only to the party members and the King. Ordinary citizens were told that Crow had betrayed them during the Demon King subjugation and was therefore killed.

Then why? Gaoran fell into intense confusion.

"You bastard, where did you hear..."

"Answer me, Lord Gaoran. Lord Crow devoted himself entirely to you all. Yet why did you betray him? Let me hear your reason."

"The reason... Ha! As if there's any reason other than 'money'! I was given enough gold to live in luxury for a while just by getting rid of that creepy kid, so why wouldn't I do it?!"

Gaoran replied with visible excitement.

He didn't care how the person in front of him found out. He didn't care about that at all.

Only one thing mattered: she knew his secret.

Even if that fact were brought to light now, no one would likely believe it. However, if there was even the slightest possibility of his current status being threatened, he could never let her walk away.

"Looks like I have no choice but to kill you. I wanted to break you slowly and enjoy it, but it can't be helped. I'll enjoy myself slowly after I kill you."

"How vile..."

Gina turned a cold gaze toward Gaoran.

Gaoran flinched for a second under that stare, but quickly recovered.

"Heh, putting on an act. Who do you think I am? I'm the hero Gaoran! I don't know who you are, but... I'll crush you in an instant!"

Gaoran kicked off the ground and closed in on Gina at high speed.

His punches possessed the power to shatter even dragon scales. If they hit a human body, they would tear it apart.

Witnessing such a terrifying strike right in front of her, Gina showed no sign of panic.

"Good grief... To be this foolish."

Gina narrowed her eyes smoothly, moved with a fluid, floating motion, and suddenly surged forward with a speed that surpassed Gaoran's, slamming her palm directly into his torso.

"Gah, aa...!?"

Struck by a massive impact in his abdomen, Gaoran let out a strained cry as he was blown backward and crashed into the wall. With all the air forced out of his lungs, he couldn't breathe, spilling blood from his mouth as he collapsed onto the floor.

Looking down at the pathetic Gaoran, Gina spoke:

"Remember this. I am the faithful servant of the absolute king, the embodiment of death, and the supreme ruler, Lord Crow—Gina Clematis of the Senko (Nine-Tailed Fox) tribe. My body, from my toes down to the tips of my ears, is entirely Lord Crow's property. Don't ever think that someone like you is allowed to touch it."

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