Debt Man's Harem Revolution ~Absolutely Obedient to the Sadistic Grimoire~
In the garbage dump of the royal capital Mistoria, debt-ridden poor adventurer Leon picks up an old grimoire. The moment he opens it, Lilia, the spirit of the legendary Seven Great Grimoires 'Black Apocalypse', appears. But despite her cute, small appearance, she's an ultra-sadist!
'Since we've made a contract, you're my slave now. Your only replies are "Yes" or "I'll kill you"!'
Bound by a contract of absolute obedience, Leon endures her unreasonable training every day. But thanks to that, he
Debt Man's Harem Revolution ~Absolutely Obedient to the Sadistic Grimoire~ - False Accusation, Betrayal, and the Night the Grimoire Disappeared
Soft evening light streamed into Leon's room on the second floor of the Silver Moon Inn.
The surface of the Rune River, visible from the window, sparkled orange in the fading sun.
Here, taste this. I added some herbs as a secret ingredient.
Misha stirred the pot of soup with pride and held out a wooden spoon. Her fluffy, flaxen hair swayed gently in the steam.
O-Oh, sure.
Leon took a sip, and the sweetness of the vegetables and the fragrance of the herbs spread softly through his mouth.
This is amazing! Seriously, this is so good.
I'm glad. This is the kind of thing I'm good at. I've always wanted to cook for someone, ever since I was little.
She set the spoon down and lowered her gaze slightly. The light from the window softly illuminated the freckles scattered across her face.
Even though I've been the one by your side all along.
...Huh? Misha, what do you—
Leon's face flushed bright red.
His heart pounded—thump, thump—obnoxiously loud.
Why have you been changing so much lately? Elena-san, and Lilia... I feel so lonely.
Misha's large green eyes glistened with tears.
Leon was at a loss for words.
(What am I supposed to say—)
Then, the next moment.
BANG!!
The door to the room was flung open with tremendous force.
Leon, you're training with me again tonight. There are still things about using the grimoire that bother me.
Elena stood there, her fiery red ponytail swaying.
Arms crossed, her sharp amber eyes glared sharply into the room.
Hey! We're in the middle of eating right now, you know!?
Misha shot to her feet. Her eyes turned triangular with anger.
Which is more important—a meal, or becoming stronger?
Elena didn't back down an inch.
They're both important! And at least knock!
Knock? I don't see the point of such a pointless gesture.
Pointless...!
N-Now, now, both of you! Let's calm down!
Leon hurriedly tried to step between them—and in that instant.
Clatter!
His hand caught the handle of the pot.
Whoa!?
The scalding soup spilled all over Leon's chest.
Hot! Hot, hot, hot!!
Serves you right.
Leaning against the wall, Lilia spat out her cold, venomous words. Deep within her jet-black hair, her crimson eyes narrowed with amusement.
Are you hurt!?
Are you injured?
As if on cue, both of them peered into Leon's face at the same time.
Misha's flaxen hair and Elena's blazing red hair.
Their faces drew so close their noses nearly touched.
Y-Your faces are way too close...!
Leon froze.
The heat of the soup, and the breath of two girls.
His head spun.
It's settled. We're going, Leon.
Elena grabbed Leon by the collar and dragged him out of the room without waiting for a response.
H-Hey, wait! Misha, I'm sorry! I'll make it up to you later, I promise—
Leon's voice faded away beyond the staircase.
Left behind in the room, Misha stood still for a long moment.
...Idiot.
She stared at the pot on the table. Half of the soup she had worked so hard to make had spilled.
She bit her lip.
I can't afford to lose anymore.
She murmured it as if convincing herself, then began to clean up.
The training grounds were shrouded in the darkness of night.
Only the moonlight faintly illuminated the dusty ground.
Your stance is weak. Channel your mana from the core of your body—like this.
Elena took hold of Leon's right arm from behind.
Her body heat seeped through his back.
With her hand placed on his hip, Leon's body trembled with a jolt.
Relax. Surrender yourself to me.
Whispered into his ear, the strength drained from Leon's body.
In that instant, he felt his mana flow smoothly from the center of his body to his fingertips.
S-So this is... channeling mana.
That's right. You have good instincts. Once you shed that wasted tension, you can become much stronger.
Elena's voice held a hint of pride.
However, watching that scene—
From beyond the outer wall of the training grounds, a single shadow stared intently.
Wh-What is that... Is training supposed to involve getting that close...!?
Having finished cleaning up, Misha cursed herself for getting curious and coming all the way to the training grounds.
She slammed both hands against the outer wall—BANG!
Leon, you idiot! So dense! After all I've...
Her words choked on tears.
Peeping again, commoner girl?
Misha spun around to find Lilia floating in the air. Her jet-black hair swayed in the night breeze.
I'm not peeping! I just happened to be passing by!
Oh? And so you were pounding on the wall.
Th-That's...
Misha bit her lip. She looked up at Lilia, her face on the verge of tears.
...What is it about Leon that interests Elena-san so much?
Lilia fell silent for a moment, then abruptly averted her gaze.
Who knows. But—
Her crimson eyes glanced briefly at Misha.
I don't find it amusing when my toy gets taken by another woman. You feel the same, don't you?
Misha's eyes widened.
...Lilia, you...
Don't misunderstand. That's all I meant to say.
Lilia turned her face away with a huff.
Misha couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Ahaha... Why am I even having this conversation with you, Lilia?
Even as she laughed, tears spilled over.
Only the moon in the night sky silently watched over their strange, newfound alliance.
That same night.
Approximately thirty kilometers east of the royal capital, Mystoria.
At the entrance of the mid-level dungeon, the "Graveyard of Lamentations," a single man stood.
Dark brown hair, narrowed eyes.
His mouth was twisted into a smirk, yet his eyes were as cold as ice.
Well then... time to get to work.
Zack pulled a small magic stone from his pocket. It was a dark tool capable of fabricating footage—a recording magic stone artifact—given to him by a secret agent of the Helgain Trading Company.
He donned a cloth identical in style to the old cloak Leon had once left with Razel at the tavern.
A dark-colored cloak that blended into the shadows.
Clutching a bundle of the requested magic stones he had prepared in advance, Zack stopped at the entrance of the ruins.
Alright... this should do it.
Facing the empty darkness, he began his act, as if handing goods over to a merchant.
Here are the goods in question. Deposit the payment into the usual account.
He even mimicked Leon's voice.
All that practice had paid off.
The magic stone artifact clicked and glowed. The false footage was being firmly etched into the recording.
And now... for this.
Zack returned to Mystoria and headed for the Silver Moon Inn.
At the tavern, Razel was wiping down the counter.
In the brief moment Razel retreated into the kitchen, Zack swiftly snatched Leon's wallet from behind the counter.
He slipped five magic stones, each bearing a special engraving marking them as stolen goods, inside without a sound.
After returning the wallet to its original place, Zack left the tavern as if nothing had happened.
In a back alley, he looked up at the moon.
Leon... because of you, I've been stuck in the shadows for years. A D-rank failure... catching the eye of an S-rank woman... I'm going to end it all.
His twisted smirk was illuminated by the moonlight.
Serves you right.
The next morning.
On the third floor of Brave Hall, the Mystoria headquarters of the Adventurers' Mutual Aid Association, in the conference room.
The executives were gathered around a long table.
Branch Chief Gald Vane—a fifty-two-year-old former C-rank adventurer, a man with a gentle face but strict adherence to the rules—spoke gravely.
...So, does anyone have anything to report?
Yes, I do.
Zack stood up.
The air in the conference room grew tense.
Yesterday, I witnessed something unbelievable at the Graveyard of Lamentations. I saw D-rank adventurer Leon secretly selling requested magic stones to a man who looked like a merchant.
What...?
Gald's brow furrowed.
Zack took the recording magic stone artifact from his pocket and placed it on the table.
This is the evidence. The footage is recorded here.
The magic stone glowed, and an image was projected onto the wall of the conference room.
In the darkness, a man wearing Leon's old cloak was handing a bundle of magic stones to a merchant-like man.
Here are the goods in question. Deposit the payment into the usual account.
The conference room buzzed with murmurs.
...Summon the man in question.
Shortly thereafter, Leon was called into the conference room.
He had absolutely no idea what was going on.
All he felt were the cold stares of the surrounding executives piercing his skin.
Wh-What is this... I didn't do anything like that! There's no proof that the footage is actually—
Then show us your wallet.
At Gald's quiet command, Leon, bewildered, handed over his wallet.
Its contents were spread out on the table.
A few copper coins.
And then—
Five magic stones clattered out.
The special engravings were clearly visible.
Wh-Why are these here...!?
Leon's face turned deathly pale.
The conference room fell into a dead silence, as if a blanket of water had been thrown over it.
Gald solemnly picked up a thick leather book containing the association's regulations.
...This is equivalent to being caught in the act of theft. The evidence is conclusive. According to regulations, you are normally granted a period of three days to present a defense, but—
Gald paused, his face filled with anguish.
In the case of a grimoire holder... the principle is immediate disciplinary action. I'm sorry, Leon.
Leon, your adventurer's license is hereby permanently revoked. Simultaneously, all qualifications held up to this point are nullified. You are expelled from the guild effective today.
!!!!!
His mind went completely blank.
And in that instant—
BANG!!
The conference room door burst open with force.
It's a lie! Leon would never do something like that! Please, re-examine the evidence!!
Misha burst into the room, her face a mess of tears. She slammed both hands on the table.
Please, Branch Chief! That footage is definitely suspicious! Leon is—
...Misha. I understand how you feel. But rules are rules. The disciplinary action cannot be overturned.
Gald shook his head painfully.
No... How can this be...!
Only Misha's sobs echoed through the conference room.
Leon simply stood there, utterly stunned.
At the stone steps of Brave Hall's entrance.
Leon sat down heavily.
He stared blankly at the black contract crest on the back of his hand.
His guild card was gone.
His place as an adventurer—everything—was lost.
A faint light emanated from the grimoire.
Lilia materialized.
Lilia... I was set up. That footage is fake. It has to be Zack who—
I don't care.
Lilia's voice was colder than ice.
My orders were to train your mana through guild requests. I have no obligation to stay with a contractor who can no longer fulfill those orders.
Lilia met Leon's eyes for just a moment—then immediately averted her gaze.
Even you...!? Lilia, you're just going to—
I will search for the next contractor. You were simply unlucky.
The instant Lilia turned her back—
A complex expression flickered across her profile—something pained, yet tinged with resignation.
But Leon didn't notice it.
The grimoire began to lose its light.
The contract crest on the back of his hand started to fade.
...Is that so.
Leon...!
Misha came running out from inside the guild.
Her face wet with tears, she desperately reached out her hand.
Thanks, Misha. But I can't drag you into this any further.
Leon smiled weakly.
No... I don't want that, Leon! I've always—
...Thank you.
With just those words, Leon stood up.
He walked away, alone, into the bustling crowds of Mystoria.
Misha could only watch his retreating figure, crying.
Even if she reached out, she could no longer touch him.
His distant back melted into the sea of people.
That night, the shadow of debt collectors creeping toward the Silver Moon Inn—
Was something no one yet kn
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