As the Demon King, I have married a slave elf. How should I express my love?

As a result, Sagan, who had previously been serious about looting their property, fell into a strange, or rather, a complex state of mind of unease.

Then, the driver took out a small pouch.

"Hey, if it's convenient for you, could you ride with us and be our bodyguards? We'd like to thank you... though the amount won't be too big."

"Oh, oh oh."

The small pouch was stuffed into his hand, leaving him no choice but to accept it. Judging from its weight and feel, it should contain a dozen or so gold coins.

This amount of money would have been nothing to him before, but now it was as precious as rain after a long drought. It was more than enough to buy groceries and Nefi's clothes.

--How did this happen? Is this how money suddenly appears?

It seems that as long as you take down the bad guys, the money will come to you on its own.

Hope sprouted in his heart—but when Sagan thought about it carefully, he realized that he was one of the villains who should be defeated first, and his legs almost gave way and he knelt down.

While he was struggling with his inner turmoil, Sagan and Neferpitou were ushered into the carriage by the crowd. After they sat down side by side, the two looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Owner."

"……what?"

Why did you intervene to save them?

"Huh? Oh...right, that does count as saving them."

Sagan only wanted to make Nefi understand that bandits were not a threat; he had no intention of rescuing the carriage passengers.

—But it seems like this is a great opportunity to improve our impression of each other?

He started to have wicked ideas.

What he needs now is a comforting word that can open Neferpitou's heart.

Sagan prayed that Barbaross could offer some advice at this time, and replied matter-of-factly:

"Those good-for-nothings need to be taught a lesson they're not good enough."

Why do I always end up saying such pointless things?!

Is it pride that's causing this?

This was all to protect Nefi; you can't just stand by and watch the weak die—that's what he originally thought of, sweet words like these.

But somehow, once the words came out, they were all just worthless bluster.

Sagan was deeply regretful for squandering such a rare opportunity.

Therefore, he did not discover it.

Neferi, on the contrary, looked up at him with great interest.

◇

"Take care, Magician. If you have the chance, ride with me again; it'll be free then."

Sagan, ushered into the carriage by the crowd, arrived in Chinnoind. Upon arrival, the cat-faced driver stopped the carriage, uttered these words, and then drove away.

Today, the streets are still bustling with people.

On one side, aristocratic women enjoy shopping, while on the other, filthy thugs sell drugs. Despite the city's chaotic state, its advantage lies in its abundance of everything.

So, where should we go next?

Although the main purpose of this trip was to purchase ingredients, the castle actually lacked all of Nefi's daily necessities.

—Speaking of which, what are the essential items for a girl's daily life?

Sagan, of course, knew nothing about this.

He cleared his throat and turned his gaze to Nefi.

"Nefi, you can buy almost anything in this city, so just go and pick out what you need."

"I'm content with just tattered clothes."

The response, devoid of any dreams or hopes, brought tears to Sagan's eyes.

—That's true. A girl who doesn't know where she'll be tomorrow certainly wouldn't have material needs.

But then, what should I buy for her?

Sagan looked on with worry as he watched the bustling crowds on the street.

There were indeed many nobles dressed in gorgeous gowns and looking glamorous, but most people were dressed in a way that allowed them to move freely, and their feet were in boots or sandals suitable for walking and running.

Nefi, dressed in a long dress that almost dragged on the ground and narrow shoes, would probably have some difficulty handling the upcoming shopping.

"...Hmm, I think we should go pick out some clothes first."

"Clothes...?"

"Yes, otherwise, wouldn't it be very difficult for you to walk in that outfit?"

Yesterday she was wobbling as she climbed the stairs, but now she walks with her skirt hem lifted.

Neferpitou blinked in disbelief, but didn't refuse.

Sagan regretfully walked for a short while before finding a shop that resembled a women's clothing store.

The shop seemed to specialize in clothing for travelers, with a wooden statue of a woman dressed in women's clothing displayed at the entrance. It also appeared to sell general clothing.

Sagan opened the shop door, and the room fell silent.

It seems that everyone was on guard when they saw the magician's attire.

But soon, a young girl who looked like a shop assistant came to greet them. She was a winged person with green wings on her back, dressed in the shop's merchandise in a very stylish way, with a name tag that read "Manila" pinned to her full chest.

The shop assistant, Manila, approached and struck up a conversation with a twitching smile.

"Welcome, Magician. What kind of clothes are you looking for?"

It was clearly not a welcoming atmosphere, but Sagan was genuinely relieved to see that a female shop assistant had come.

Then, he pointed to Neferi behind him.

"Just get her a decent set of clothes."

Manila stared at Nefi, speechless with astonishment.

"Wow, what a beautiful girl..."

It seems that even in the eyes of other women, she is still a beauty. Even though the object of praise wasn't herself, Sagan still felt honored.

However, Manila's expression then darkened, and her gaze fell on the collar around her neck.

—It seems like I should help her untie it.

If she had to endure such stares every time she entered a shop, she would never be able to go out in public. Although the seller had warned her that she might run away if the collar was removed, Sagan didn't care.

He genuinely wanted to save Nefi.

Part of the reason for doing this was, of course, to win her heart, but if he let her continue wearing the collar, he would only be someone who possessed her. In that case, she would be no different from those who had previously feared him.

Led by the shop assistant, Nefi entered the store.

Sagan didn't know where to wait, so he avoided the doorway and chose a spot against the wall.

After waiting, Manila returned to the store.

What do you think of this combination?

"Um...wait, what?"

When Sagan saw Nefi emerge from the store, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Illustration p085

Neferpitou was completely naked, only bound by leather straps, which still managed to form the shape of clothing. Although the straps cleverly concealed her nipples and groin, the rest of her body was completely exposed, her alabaster skin and unexpectedly large breasts left entirely unhidden.

This attire allowed the choker to blend in naturally, making it almost look like a work of art. But this wasn't what Sagan wanted. If there were other male customers or male staff present, Sagan would probably have to gouge their eyes out.

Nefi's fair, pointed ears were now blushing with embarrassment, and she shyly covered her body.

This was a completely different reaction from her nonchalant lifting of her skirt last night.

If a person is determined to die, they won't even feel shame. From this perspective, Sagan felt somewhat relieved that she seemed to have some will to live, but now was certainly not the time to think about such things.

Her white hair swayed softly, obscuring the girl's body.

"Um, please, please don't stare at me..."

Sagan was awakened by Nefi's almost inaudible whispers and saw Manila standing proudly with her head held high.

"What do you think? Even I think it's a perfect match."

"Perfect my foot! I specifically told you to just throw on any clothes, so why did she end up like this?"

"Huh...? But I was just following your preferences..."

I really don't know what kind of person I am in her eyes.

--Okay, he's probably just a shameless magician who strolls around with cute girls...

After all, magicians are basically synonymous with evil, so upon closer reflection, the shop assistant's reaction might not be entirely unreasonable.

...No, even so, this outfit is still a bit too much.

Sagan said with a headache.

"Just give her a set of casual clothes."

"Huh...isn't this a terrible waste..."

The shop assistant was clearly unhappy, but still led Nefi back into the store.

"Wait, put down everything you're holding."

Manila seemed to have never learned her lesson, carrying a provocative outfit that looked no different from underwear in her arms.

Upon seeing those clothes, even Neferpitou started to tear up.

Faced with Sagan's glare, the shop assistant had no choice but to raise his hands and back away.

"Don't be so mean. It was just a joke, just a joke."

Of course, it didn't sound like a joke at all, only earning Sagan a suspicious look. As soon as the shop assistant put down the clothes, Nefi patted his chest in relief.