"Now then, Lady Fiore, could you tell me about your adventure?" Jircniv leaned forward and clasped his hands.
"My adventure?"
"Yes. With the elves."
Mare pondered for a while before responding. "It was very fun."
Fun? Did I miss something? What part of a rescue-elf-slaves operation was supposed to be fun?
Purchasing the elf slaves had cost him a good fortune, a number that made his stomach hurt every time he thought about it. But what really drove him crazy was the fact that he had no reports on what the dark elf girl had done with the slaves. Firstly, none of the guards that accompanied her each time have returned. While he didn't care for any of them personally, they were still investments whose upbringings have not been cheap either. He could only count it as a blessing that the elf girl had rejected Nimble's assistance. Next, the workers he hired to act as slave−traders never came to collect their pay. That was fine, but it also meant that they were probably dead.
Did the dark elf girl kill them all? Perhaps she was so angry at the slave conditions that she lost control and…who am I kidding? That's not the face of someone who cares at all!
Indeed, Mare's face was the picture of indifference.
"Ah, Lady Fiore, could you tell me exactly what you did? It might be good to analyze the events for future reference."
The dark elf girl opened her mouth, then closed it. Jircniv smiled encouragingly, and after a while Mare began to speak. "Ah…um, yes. There was a beautiful person. Her name was B-Becky Thatcher."
Becky Thatcher…she must be talking about the elf slaves. Still…what a strange name. Is there another elf territory further south here? What's more…does this dark elf like this Becky?
Jircniv's lips twisted upwards. While its nature had been unexpected, a relationship between Mare and the elf slaves was more than welcomed. All he had to do now was to find the slaves and hold them hostage against her.
"A-and there was a scary monster…and it chased us."
"Monster?"
"Yes. An Injun Joe."
"What did it look like?"
"I-it was a half-breed, I think. And it was big. And shiny."
Jircniv frowned. Scary indeed. Perhaps this Injun Joe monster was the one that killed the guards and workers. "How did you get away?"
"Ah…we trapped it in a cave. And collapsed it." Mare added in afterthought.
Jircniv felt a sense of relief. If a dark elf girl that rode dragons and could bring down hundreds with a single attack thought that the Injun Joe was scary, then he did not want to meet it.
Besides, I don't need another ridiculously overpowered enemy on my plate.
"And…what happened to Becky Thatcher? I would love to meet her in person and introduce her to the Empire." Jircniv asked coaxingly.
The dark elf girl shifted in her seat. "I-I'm not sure. She didn't want to be with me so, so I let her go."
It was odd that anyone could resist the looks of this dark elf. Even Jircniv himself was tempted to strip her bare but refrained from doing so for fear of the power she wielded.
It must be because of the trauma she endured as a slave. Or perhaps she didn't lean the way this dark elf did. Whatever the case, it seemed as if this Becky girl is now wandering around somewhere. Wonderful! I don't even have to plot ways to snatch her away anymore! She couldn't have gotten far by foot, and as an elf slave no less…but just in case, I need to set up notices for her arrest immediately.
This human asked too many questions. Mare sighed inwardly. Though serving Ainz-sama was his greatest joy, he would like nothing more to leave this poor excuse of a city and take a nap right now. That was−
"Do you know where she could have gone?"
Another stupid question. Mare clenched the black staff in his hands tighter. "I-I'm not sure."
He was not particularly interested in what Demiurge was doing with the elves, nor did he care. But he thought that it would be rude as an emissary to say so when Jircniv was the one who had gifted them. He also felt that Jircniv would be quite disappointed if he knew that Mare had essentially "regifted" the elves, and so he decided it would be better to tell a different story instead.
"A shame…" Jircniv tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well then, it seems that will be all for today. Will you be returning to Nazarick?"
Mare nodded. Where else would he go?
"Ah, it seems I have nothing more to report to Ainz Ooal Gown−sama at the moment. Do rest for a few days. I will be sure to let you know when I require your assistance again."
Author's Note: Becky Thatcher and Injun Joe are characters pulled from Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Mare has gone on more than one "rescue-elf-slaves" mission at this point.