Debt Man's Harem Revolution ~Absolutely Obedient to the Sadistic Grimoire~
Leon is a super broke adventurer, spending his days dodging debt collectors. One day, he picks up a dusty old book from the guild's trash heap. It turns out to be the legendary grimoire, the 'Black Apocalypse'. But his contract greeting is a slap from its sadistic spirit, Lilia!
'You useless worm! Prepare yourself, because I'm going to whip you into a proper contractor!'
Under Lilia's brutal training, Leon's skills skyrocket, even through his tears. After saving his childhood friend and recept
Debt Man's Harem Revolution ~Absolutely Obedient to the Sadistic Grimoire~ - Debt Repayment and the Flames of Jealousy — Misha's Declaration of Monopoly and the Seeds of Zack's Trap
He flipped his wallet upside down.
Two copper coins clattered onto the desk. The pathetic sound echoed through the shabby room at the "Migratory Bird's Nest" inn.
"You've gotta be kidding me..."
Leon Crawford slumped his shoulders in defeat. His dull, unkempt blond hair swayed limply. Today was repayment day. If he didn't hand over thirty silver coins to Vincent, it wouldn't just be the old scar on his left cheek this time. He'd probably lose a finger or two.
Nothing. No matter how he turned it, just two copper coins.
Outside the window, morning had come to Canalberg. Puddles from yesterday's rain lingered in the narrow alleys of the old town. A damp wind carried in from the Rugen River, brushing against the cracked walls.
Then, the black leather grimoire on the desk emitted a dull, eerie glow.
The chains entwined around the silver lock jingled softly, and a translucent girl floated up into the air. Jet-black long hair. Crimson eyes. With her usual cold gaze, Lilia looked down upon Leon.
"Don't let me hear such pathetic whining first thing in the morning, you worthless trash."
"But I've got zero silver! It's over, my fingers are..."
"A finger or two, just let him have them. You're incapable of anything but screwing up anyway, so losing a few won't make a difference."
Lilia waved her hand dismissively. The chains of their contract grazed Leon's wrist.
"However, if you hate that idea so much, there is a way. Go to the Growden Forest right now. On the eastern side, in the rocky strata, there's a mineral vein that reacts to dark-attribute magic. Detect it with your own magic, dig it out, and you can sell it at the weapon shop."
"Dig up ore...? But I've never done any mining before."
"You're starting now. If you have complaints, I can just activate the contract seal—"
"O-Okay! I'm going! I'm going right now!"
Leon grabbed his leather armor, took a single bite of bread, and practically tumbled out of the inn.
——
The Growden Forest was so quiet, the city's bustle felt like a lie.
Morning light filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground. The smell of damp earth. Somewhere, a bird sang.
"This spot will do. Crouch down and place your right hand on the ground."
Following Lilia's instructions, Leon knelt in a hollow among the rocks. He pressed his palm against the rough stone.
"Close your eyes and slowly pour your magic into it. Dark-attribute ore will react by absorbing your magic, so follow the sensation of being pulled."
Leon closed his eyes.
He imagined the hot mass deep within his chest. It was the magic he had touched for the first time during yesterday's training. He still couldn't control it well, but he remembered the feeling.
Gradually, his palm grew warm.
Suddenly, it was as if something beneath the earth was calling out to him—.
DOOOM!!
"Whaaaaaa!?"
The ground at his feet suddenly exploded.
Dirt and pebbles erupted upward, and Leon toppled backward. His face was covered in mud. Sand got into his mouth. He spat it out. *Ptoo, ptoo.*
"...You have no sense of moderation."
Lilia remained floating in the air, looking down at Leon with a cool expression. The scattered dirt arced around her alone, as if avoiding her.
"Hey! I'm the only one covered in mud here!"
"Obviously. I'm a spirit. I'd rather not get dirty."
"This is too cruel..."
"Now, do it again. This time, pour it in more slowly, little by little. If you can't manage it, I'll multiply the contract seal's punishment by ten."
With a face on the verge of tears, Leon placed his hand on the ground once more.
Half an hour later—.
After much struggling, Leon managed to cause explosions all over the rocky area, got blown away three times, got caught in a tree branch once, and finally succeeded in digging up three pieces of ore. They were stones that gleamed with a dull, black light. Holding them in his hand, they felt faintly warm.
"I did it... I actually did it!"
"Getting so ecstatic over a mere three lumps. How cheap."
But Leon didn't miss the way the corners of Lilia's mouth softened, just a little.
——
It was slightly past noon when he returned to Canalberg's market street.
Leon hurried under the sign of the "Iron Fang" weapon shop. A bell jangled.
The shop smelled of iron and oil. Swords and axes lined the walls, and residual heat from the forge still lingered.
Behind the counter, the dwarven shopkeeper, Dork Eisen, looked up. A stubborn craftsman past sixty with a white beard. His thick arms bore numerous burn scars.
"Oh, if it isn't Leon. Back for another cheap sword?"
"N-No! I want you to take a look at this!"
Leon pulled the ore from his cloth bag and placed it on the counter.
Dork furrowed his brow and picked up a piece of ore. He scrutinized it against the light, scratched it with his nail, and finally tapped it with a small hammer.
"...Hoh. This ore's been heat-treated with dark-attribute magic. Makes refining it significantly easier. The quality's not bad either."
Dork narrowed his eyes and gave Leon a hard stare.
"Thirty-two silver coins for the three of them. How about it?"
"Thirty-two!? I-I did it—!"
Leon couldn't help but pump his fist. Thirty silver coins for this month's repayment. With the remaining two, he could buy bread. He'd managed to survive somehow—.
——
A short while later.
The guild plaza in front of the Ferkete Canalberg branch.
Leon sat down on the stone steps, catching his breath. He had just handed thirty silver coins to Vincent, finally lifting that weight off his shoulders.
(*But next month, it's another thirty...*)
He peered into his wallet. The two silver coins jingled. The road ahead was still long.
That was when it happened.
"You. I sense the remnants of dark-attribute magic."
A low, resonant female voice fell upon him from behind.
When Leon turned around, a tall woman stood there with her arms crossed. Her long, fiery red hair was tied up high in a ponytail. Sharp, amber eyes stared intently down at him.
Beneath the cloak draped over her shoulders was a polished silver breastplate. A large scar, said to be from a dragon hunt, ran down her left arm.
Elena Valenshtein.
An S-Rank adventurer. The female warrior rumored to be the strongest in this guild.
"Huh? Uh, yes...?"
Leon replied with a stupid-sounding voice.
"How unusual. Are you a contractor?"
Elena closed the distance by a step. She was tall. A full two centimeters taller than Leon. Her amber eyes swept over him from head to toe, as if appraising his worth.
"N-No, that's..."
He didn't know if he was allowed to talk about Lilia. As Leon stammered, Elena's brow moved slightly.
"...Never mind. We may meet again."
Saying only that, she strode gallantly into the guild and disappeared.
Left behind, Leon sat there with his mouth hanging open, unable to move for a while.
(*What was that all about...?*)
——A shadow watched the entire scene intently from the guild entrance.
"...Leon."
It was Misha Irving. Her fluffy, flaxen bob swayed gently in the breeze. Her large green eyes, usually so bright, had lost their light and were narrowed tightly.
She had just finished her receptionist duties and had rushed out to call out to Leon.
(*That person... Lady Elena Valenshtein? The S-Rank...*)
A tall, perfectly proportioned older woman with a flawless face. The strongest female warrior. Someone like that had been talking with Leon, just the two of them. And Leon had responded with a smile.
A sharp pang struck deep in her chest.
(*No. What is this feeling?*)
Misha trotted up to Leon and grabbed his arm tightly with all her might.
"Leon, we're eating dinner together tonight. Absolutely no refusing."
It wasn't her usual gentle smile. Her eyes left no room for argument.
"Huh? W-Wait, Misha?"
"No buts. It's a promise."
Misha released Leon's arm and turned away with a huff. Her cheeks were faintly flushed.
——
Night.
The "Red Copper Cup" tavern was sweltering with the heat of adventurers. The sound of ale froth spilling over. The smell of grilling wild boar skewers. Laughter and angry shouts echoed from every corner.
At a corner table, Leon and Misha sat facing each other.
The flame of the candlestick on the table softly illuminated their faces.
"Hey, Leon."
Misha took a sip of her ale, then glanced up at Leon.
"That person earlier. Who was she? Someone you know?"
"Huh? Oh, Elena-san? She just spoke to me out of nowhere, that's all—"
Misha murmured a soft "Hmm," and her face showed a flicker of relief. She immediately covered it up with a bright smile.
"I see. That's good."
In the orange glow of the candlelight, Misha's flaxen hair sparkled. She gently placed her hand on the table.
Her fingertips drew close, right next to Leon's hand.
A distance so close they might touch, or might not.
(*Leon...*)
Misha's heart pounded furiously. Her green eyes grew moist, reflecting the candle's flame.
"Hey, Leon. I've, for a long time now—"
The moment she squeezed out her voice—.
"Whoa! Aren't you two having a nice little moment!"
Suddenly, a cheerful voice cut in.
It was Zack. He had well-arranged features, but there was something vaguely unpleasant in his eyes. Wearing a plastered-on, refreshing smile, he casually pulled up a chair and plopped himself down between Leon and Misha.
"As close as ever, huh, Leon? But Misha, as your senior at the guild, let me just say one thing—I hear Leon's been doing some reckless mining lately? Isn't that dangerous?"
Misha's mouth moved wordlessly and stopped. Her face turned bright red.
"M-Mining...?"
"Yeah, yeah. Leon, you were digging around the rocks in the forest today too, right? A G-Rank going solo on ore mining is just reckless, man. Misha, as a receptionist, you should really warn him about stuff like that."
Zack spoke in a light tone, smoothly changing the subject.
Under the table, Misha clenched her fist tightly. It trembled faintly.
(*I was so close...*)
Leon didn't notice the change in Misha. Because he was dense. He simply thought, "Zack's worried about me," and scratched his head with a troubled look.
"Well, uh, it worked out somehow..."
"Haha, well, glad you're safe! Anyway, I've got my rounds to make. Misha, don't push him too hard."
Leaving those words behind, Zack rose from his seat and left breezily.
An awkward silence fell between the two left behind.
A little while later—as they were leaving the tavern.
"Leon."
Misha tugged lightly on the hem of Leon's cloak.
As he turned around, she took a step closer to him. Standing on her tiptoes, she brought her face close to his ear.
"See you tomorrow."
Her breath tickled his ear. A distance that felt both ticklish and sent a shiver down his spine.
The back of Leon's neck flushed red instantly.
"Y-Yeah..."
Misha quickly pulled away, waved her hand slightly, and ran off.
——
The next morning.
In front of the guild's request board, Leon gazed at his wallet containing two silver coins and let out a sigh.
"...Twenty-eight more to go, huh."
Zack casually approached him.
"Leon, I've got a good deal for you."
Zack lowered his voice and checked that no one else was around before continuing.
"You know that abandoned church on the outskirts of the Growden Forest? There's a request out to retrieve a magic tool from there. The reward is fifty silver coins. Easy work, even going solo."
"Fifty coins!? Seriously!"
Leon's eyes lit up. With fifty coins, next month's repayment would suddenly become much easier.
"I'll submit the formal request form at the reception desk later. You're an early riser, after all. A verbal agreement for now is fine, right?"
"Thanks, Zack! You're a lifesaver!"
Leon walked away, looking delighted.
Zack watched his retreating figure for a while. He twisted his mouth into a small smirk.
——Only Lilia, floating there in her translucent form, glared sharply at this scene.
"That man. His magic fluctuates only when he approaches you. It's a physical tell he has when he's lying
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