The Master of Ceremonies pointed to an object on top of a haphazardly stacked pile of goods.
Upon closer inspection, it was a small iron cage resembling an insect's enclosure. Inside, a petite girl huddled in a corner.
Her green hair was styled into twin buns, and she had a remarkably cute face, reminiscent of a beautiful girl. She wore a vibrant outfit resembling leaves, and transparent, insect-like wings sprouted from her back.
There was no mistake this was Pico.
Pico was another heroine in the story who joins Rogue. As mentioned earlier, she possesses the unique skill "Fortune Fortune," which exacerbates the story's convenient plot twists and miraculous coincidences.
With Pico, a member of the fairy race, constantly by Rogue's side, he experienced various strokes of luck. This ability even played a crucial role in battles, creating miraculous coincidences time and time again. Despite already having an unparalleled level-up from the "Ability Grant," having luck on his side made Rogue an unstoppable protagonist in this otherworldly setting.
Moreover, Rogue obtained Pico in a rather dubious manner.
In the original story, shortly after turning the main heroine, Shizuku, into a slave, Rogue, with his low adventurer rank, was tasked with a quest to capture a noble's missing cat. Rogue found the cat but was unable to catch it and ended up wandering into this very place.
As you can guess, Rogue met Pico, who was trapped in the cage, and she begged him, "Please get me out of here."
Rogue, pitying her and lamenting the cruelty of selling people by their kind, decided to break the cage and free Pico without permission from the Master of Ceremonies.
Pico, grateful, declared, "I will stay by your side as a master," and thus became one of Rogue's companions. The cat was eventually captured thanks to Pico's "Fortune Fortune," and the quest was completed.
Unsurprisingly, this action sparked outrage in the comments section and on social media. Readers condemned Rogue for freeing Pico without authorization, accusing him of being the worst kind of person and questioning his morality, while others defended him, praising his bravery and kindness.
As someone who isn't entirely lost in the world of Bird Mark No. 8, I side with the former opinion. No matter the situation, theft is wrong. In a different era or criminal organization, this might be seen as a heroic rescue, but here, in this otherworldly setting, it's a recognized and legitimate business.
As a citizen, one should uphold the law. That's why I approached the Master of Ceremonies directly for guidance on officially purchasing and welcoming Pico as a companion.
"Alright, let's buy her. How much is it?"
"Fairy folk are a rare race, so I would like to ask for 10 million G."
"Ten million G!?"
Even though this is considered a bargain, it's still a hefty price.
As the Master of Ceremonies mentioned, fairies are legendary rare species that live in the depths of forests where even elves can't enter. However, even with my savings, paying 10 million G would bankrupt me.
"U-um... Can I pay in installments? Through a guild loan... yes?"
I suddenly falter. I can't just steal her like Rogue did...
"No problem. If you proceed with the guild's deduction process, it will be fine."
"Thank you. I'll repay it with interest when I have the funds."
I'm grateful for the leniency in the Master of Ceremonies' regulations. I managed to obtain the lucky fairy Pico. And contrary to the original story, I've taken one of the heroines from Rogue... Hehe.
"Here, this is the service for your purchase."
The Master of Ceremonies handed me a long rope with a small collar-like end.
"What's this?"
"It's a harness for her. I used it for training."
"I don't need that it's too cruel."
"But she's quite a cunning fairy. She often tried to escape as soon as the cage was opened."
That's probably because she was scared of you, right? There weren't any escape scenes in the original story.
Wait a minute... Could it be that protagonist bias is at play here? There might have been some convenient plot twists influencing this.
I approached the cage.
Pico, trembling, huddled in a corner.
"You're going to become my companion, but you won't try to escape, will you?"
"I... don't trust people who buy and sell others, including you who bought me!"
What's this? Am I supposed to break the law like Rogue and free her without authorization? Just so you know, it's the protagonist's actions that are in the wrong.
Isn't the result the same for you, though?
But this is problematic. Pico seems to view both the seller and the buyer as equally guilty. Ironically, it seems that being freed without permission was a more acceptable outcome for her.
In the original story, Pico's skill "Fortune Fortune" wouldn't activate unless she trusted the buyer. This could take some time. If she escapes before that, all would be for nothing.
"...I'll accept the harness."
"Yes, and if you're concerned about her training, you might consider visiting Akuba."
"Akuba?"
"It's a nearby slave shop. If you request them to perform a master-servant contract magic, she'll have to obey you."
I see, that's an option. But it seems a bit harsh... though it's the same thing Shizuku went through, so maybe it's acceptable?
But the Master of Ceremonies seemed to imply that Pico was sold at a reduced price due to failed training.
Well, it's still a win-win situation.
We left the freak show tent.
As soon as we were outside, Pico began berating me endlessly.
"You're going to make me a slave! How awful! Unbelievable!"
I couldn't let her out of the cage like this. She'd run away instantly.
Damn it, without protagonist bias, I don't have the skill to tame her instantly like Rogue did.
"My name is Alfred. Whether or not I make you a slave is still under consideration. I won't do anything if you don't try to escape, and I guarantee your safety... Please, join us."
"Why are you so persistent about me? Going as far as to arrange a loan... You don't seem like a perverted creep."
"I'm gathering capable and trustworthy companions. I hope you'll become one of them... That's my honest intention."
I stared at Pico through the cage. Initially, she was frightened, but now she looked at me with her clear, transparent eyes.
"...Pico. I believe in your sincere eyes and trust you won't escape... I promise.'
"Well then, if I trust you, I'll let you out of the cage. Let's see how things go."
"You said your name was Alfred? I'm not trusting you yet. Whether 1 become a companion or not will depend on your future actions."
It seems she's testing me.
That's fine. I'll take the time to earn Pico's trust and become the kind of person she can rely on.