로그인商会で雑用係として働く気弱な少年クラドは、物の“値段”が見える特殊な力を持っていた。 だが戦闘にも商売にも役立たないその力は周囲から馬鹿にされ、彼自身も自分を「無価値」だと思い込んでいた。 そんなある日、木箱の底から異常な価格が表示された指輪を発見。 さらに奴隷市場で、誰よりも高額な値段を持つ少女ミリスと出会ったことで、クラドの運命が変わる。 商会を襲った強盗からミリスを守ろうとした瞬間、クラドのスキルは【価格操作】へと覚醒。 やがて二人の前に現れたのは、謎多き天才行商人ヴェルカ。 「キミたち二人、私が買おう」 無価値と蔑まれた少年と、値段を付けられた少女。 これは二人が“本当の価値”を見つける物語。
더 보기"Thank you so much for your time, Mr Domanco. I really appreciate you coming here. I won't take your precious time anymore by giving you excuses. I would just like to request you all to please give me and my company another chance and extend the deadline for one month more." James said with a lot of sincerity.
There were four men and one woman from The Domancos in the meeting. They were having the meeting in the Jones Cooperation's meeting room. The environment of the room was really tense and it made James feel really intimidated.
James Jones, a famous businessman of New York, owner of one of the biggest construction buildings around the country. He had recently signed a contract with 'The Domancos' to build their new hotel and for some reason, he failed to complete the construction of the hotel by the deadline which has never happened before. But this time it happened and he doesn't know but a lot is going on behind this failure.
"Cut the crap and tell us why the hell out hotel isn't built yet? Are you playing games with us? We have paid half of the amount already and invested so much in that hotel. We have paid half of the payment already and the hotel is only half-built. Do you know the goddamn consequence?!" One of the men from the client shouted at James furiously.
He is one of the Domancos. The junior Domanco, Daniel Domanco. He is famous for his arrogant attitude and short temper.
"How can we trust that you will be able to keep your words this time?" Another man who was present in the room, asked with raised eyebrows. He was Mason North, best friend of the current CEO of Domanco enterprise.
"You can trust me, Mr North. You can check my records. I have been in big projects a couple of times more and this has never happened before." James Jones answered in a confident tone.
"This is not your usual 'big project', Mr Jones. It's the project of the Domancos. I don't like unprofessionalism in my work, no matter what the matter is. Everyone who failed to meet my expectations in business has faced consequences. I, Sebastian Domanco, have trusted you in this and you failed me. Don't you think you deserve the same treatment as others? Why should we give you another chance?" Sebastian Domanco, the one and only CEO of Domanco enterprise, asked in his dead-serious tone which made James look down in shame.
The Domancos, they are ruling the business world. This change happened when the current CEO of the Domanco enterprises, Sebastian Domanco, stepped in. Sebastian Domanco, the cold and cunning businessman who is creating havoc in the business world by his business tactics, strategies and success.
In just three years, he managed to make an identity of his own in the world. He is famous for a few things. Work, business deals and profit. Nothing else matters to him other than that. He absolutely hates it when things don't go according to him. What he hates more is lazy people, waste of time and loss in business. He becomes the rumoured devil when any of the three things happens.
"Mr Sebastian, I would like to apologize once again for failing you. It has affected me as well, but I can assure you that if you give me another chance, I won't disappoint you. This deal means a lot to me and my company. I can assure you that we will give more than our hundred percent this time." James collected himself from his nervousness and tried to put on his most confident face.
"Mr Jones, today we are here, in your office, to have this meeting even though you failed to handover the project because of only one reason, we are aware of your records. You have a really impressive record which is why I gave you the deal in the first place." Sebastian said in a superior tone.
"Thank you, Mr Domanco. That really means a lot." James immediately took the gap in his speech to appreciate the appreciation. Sebastian didn't acknowledge his words and continued with what he got to say.
"So, based on that only, I have decided to exte-..." Sebastian couldn't complete his sentence when he was cut off by a loud commotion going outside the meeting room.
Everyone looked toward the door with a frown when the door suddenly flew open and came inside a STORM, silencing everyone in the room. Not really but a really beautiful red headed woman.
"Dad! I want you to fire that good for nothing secretary of yours right at this moment!" The redheaded woman demanded with an annoyed look on her face as she looked at James Jones with her hands crossed over her chest.
The girl was Chloe Jones. She was an only child of her parents, James Jones and Ruby Jones. She is a really beautiful girl with her unique red hair which was naturally shiny and wavy. She has beautiful sky blue eyes. She got her height and figure from her mother, Ruby Jones, who used to be a model at her time. Chloe was almost five feet six and had milky white skin. She knew how to carry her style and attitude well which made her attractive to the world.
"Ch... Chloe? What are you doing here?" James asked with a deep frown after coming out of the aftereffect of his daughter's dramatic entry.
"We can come to that later, dad! First fire him! How dare he! He wasn't letting me meet you, can you believe that? He was stopping me, Chloe Jones, from coming into my own office!" She exclaimed while stomping like a five year old and glaring at the poor secretary who had the order of James of not letting anyone disturb him because he was having a meeting with the Domancos.
"Chloe, we will talk about it later. Can you please leave now? I am having a really important meeting right now." James said in a strict yet requesting tone. He knows his daughter. He knows how bad things can turn if he uses his strict tone at her at that moment but he can't even irritate Sebastian Domanco more than he already was. He was in the most disturbing situation at that moment.
"Are you asking me to get out, dad?! What's more important to you than me, huh?!" She asked with a deep frown before looking around to face the important people her father was talking about and that's when her eyes fell on one particular man with cold grey eyes.
Did her heart just flip?
She knows this man. She has heard a lot about him even when she was studying abroad and when she returned back just a few days ago, his name is the only thing she has been hearing. He is Sebastian Domanco, the King of business. She has heard a lot about how successful he is in the business world but why didn't anyone ever tell her about how breathtakingly handsome he is!
"What the hell is going on, Mr Jones?" Sebastian exclaimed in an irritation filled tone while moving his eyes from her to her father who was almost sweating at the anticipation of what is coming next. He saw the look in Sebastian's eyes and he knew if he doesn't stop his overly spoiled daughter now, things are going to take an ugly turn.
"Mr Sebastian, I am sorry. I will handle it right away. Please-..." James got up from his chair, to explain things and at the same time make Chloe get out. But he felt everything going into the drain when Sebastian stood up, everyone else that came with him following suits.
"We are done with the meeting, Mr Jones. I assure you that things are not going to be in your favour after this but it might have, if you had kept your immature and bratty daughter locked in the house. I don't have time for her brattiness. My secretary will contact you soon. Be prepared for the consequences." Sebastian said in the most nerve chilling tone and directly walked out of the room, without giving a second look to James or Chloe.
Everyone soon followed him outside. James followed behind too, to stop them anyhow but Sebastian didn't give him a chance.
On the other hand, Chloe's eyes widened as soon as she heard Sebastian and it directly hit her princess ego. He called her immature and bratty?! How dare he?!
She turned around to look at her father with a frown of irritation who had a stoney face on which she didn't notice.
"Dad, did you hear him?! How dare he call me a br-..." Chloe couldn't complete her sentence when a slap forced her to shut her mouth and take a few steps back at the same time. She immediately had her hand on the cheeks where her father just slapped her, for the first time.
She slowly looked up to look at her father with hurt and disbelief in her eyes. Her eyes teared immediately in hurt. She couldn't believe that her father raised his hand at her. For what?
"Dad! You slapped me." She exclaimed in shock and disbelief, her voice was shaking.
"Yes! I slapped you. I should have slapped you long ago. Then I wouldn't have to see this day." He exclaimed back in pure anger and disappointment. She was more shocked, if that was possible. "Do you know how important that client was? He could have given us fortune but now what we are going to receive from him is destruction. Did you hear me? He is going to destroy us and then I won't be able to afford all these spoiled attitudes of yours. I should have kept a check on that long ago. But it's not late yet." He said with determination before pulling his phone out of his pocket. He dialed someone
"What do you mean? What are you doing?" She asked in confusion.
"Block all cards and cars that are under Chloe's name and do that right now." He barked on the phone while glaring at Chloe who was too shocked to say anything.
"Dad! What are you doing?!" She exclaimed in anger. She had turned red by then.
"I am not doing anything, Chloe. You will do whatever is to be done." He said in a strict tone while looking at her without any love or adoration which he always has.
"What?!" She asked with a deep frown of confusion. Everything was happening so fast for her to understand what's going on.
"If you want your credit cards, cars back and want your share in the Jones property, you have to apologize to Sebastian Domanco and get the contract back." He said in a cold tone.
"Say what?!" She exclaimed in shock and frustration.
"You heard me already." James said before walking toward her in long strides. He snatched the car key which was in her hand and walked out of the meeting room without any more word.
Chloe stood there in shock, like a ticking bomb who was waiting to blast any moment and it came sooner as she let out a loud scream of frustration before throwing everything off of the table. She banged her hand on the table in anger. She looked at the glass wall in front of her where her messy reflection was mocking at her.
"Sebastian Domanco!" She gritted the name out. "This all happened because of you. You called me a brat, right? Now you will see how bratty I can be!" She said to herself with determination before swinging her purse over her shoulder and walking out of the room.
「クラド、カグヤ。ここは任せて、先に行って」 ミリスの言葉を聞いた瞬間、二人は何を言われたのか理解できず、ただ呆然と彼女の顔を見返した。 ここへ残るということは、三人がかりでも勝てなかったゼロを相手に、たった一人で時間を稼ぐという意味に他ならない。「それはダメだ!」 真っ先に声を荒げたクラドは痛みも忘れたように身を乗り出し、今にも倒れそうなミリスの肩を掴もうと手を伸ばした。「そんなの絶対ダメだ! お前一人残ったら――」「クラド」 だがミリスが静かに名前を呼ぶと、それだけで続きの言葉は喉の奥へ引っ込んでしまう。「時間がないの」 ミリスは裏口へ視線を向けた。 遠くで鳴り続ける鐘の余韻が、まだ地下倉庫の空気を震わせている。 夜天競売会は、既に始まっている。「でも!」「それに、今下手に動くのも悪手です」 今度はカグヤが口を開いた。 普段通り落ち着いた声だったが、その指先は小さく震えている。「この空間には奴の能力がまだあります。下手に移動すれば、会場へ向かうより先に切り刻まれます!」 カグヤの言葉に反論できる者はいなかった。 実際、こんな地雷原の中を駆けるのは、無茶というより自殺行為に等しい。 それでもミリスだけは首を横へ振った。「だからミリスが残る」「いけません」 即座にカグヤが否定する。 その反応は、いつもよりずっと強かった。「ミリス殿が残る必要なんてありません」 カグヤは俯き、唇を強く噛み締める。 そして、そっとミリスの肩に手を触れた。「貨物なんて、もうどうだっていいんです。私の目的なんかより、ミリス殿の命の方がずっと大事です!」 その場に沈黙が落ちた。 ミリスは目を見開く。「だから、お願いです」 カグヤはゆっくりと顔を上げた。 いつも冷静な紫の瞳が、今だけは少し潤んでいる。「一緒に、乗り切りましょう」 その言葉に、ミリスは小さく目を伏せた。 少しだけ。 本当に少しだけ、迷うように。 けれど次の瞬間には、もう答えを決めていた。「やっぱり、二人とも優しいね」 そう呟いた瞬間、クラドたちの身体がふわりと宙を舞った。「おいミリス! やめろ!」「ダメです! 降ろしてください!」 クラドが必死に腕を伸ばす。 カグヤも空
――パチ。パチ。パチ。 その音が、いつまでも鼓膜にこびりついて離れなかった。 ゼロと名乗った男は、ナイフを軽く弾ませながらラグナへ歩み寄る。「さて。裏切り者には、相応の罰が必要だよね」「やめ――」 ラグナが声を上げるより前に、ゼロの指が動いた。 何も握っていない。何も振っていない。 それなのに、ラグナの右腕が突然、真横に裂けた。「ぁああああッ‼」 悲鳴が響く。 血が壁に飛び散る。 ラグナは腕を押さえて転がりながら、それでも声だけは抑えようとしていた。「面白いね、その我慢」 ゼロは無感情に笑う。 まるで虫の足をもぐように、何の感慨もなく。「でももう少し、苦しむ顔が見たいな」 次の瞬間、今度はラグナの足が裂けた。「あ――っ‼」 その光景に、頭の奥で何かが弾けた。 ガキン、と音がするくらい強く、歯を噛み締める。 考えるより先に、足が動いていた。「――やめろ!!」 拳を握って、思い切り叩き込む。 ゴッ――。 手応えがあった。確かに、殴ったはずだ。 だがゼロは、表情一つ変えなかった。「……今、ぼくのこと殴った?」 殴られた頬を指先でなぞりながら、ゼロは首を傾げた。 本当に不思議そうだった。 怒りも敵意もない。 道端で犬に吠えられた人間の方が、まだ感情を動かす。 そう思うくらいに、表情には感情の色がなかった。「ミリス、カグヤ……今だ!」 叫ぶと同時に、二人が動く。 ミリスの周囲で、瓦礫が一斉に浮き上がる。「――飛べッ!」 砲弾のように加速した瓦礫が、ゼロへ殺到する。 同時に、カグヤの札が舞った。 《斬》 紫の斬撃が空気を裂き、ゼロの足元から這い上がる。 完璧な挟撃――そのはずだった。 しかしゼロは、軽く跳んだだけだった。 まるで散歩でもしているように、瓦礫の隙間を抜け、斬撃の上を踏み越える。 今の連撃を、紙一重で、しかも片手すら使わずに避けた。「ねえ、どうして?」 ゼロは本当に不思議そうな顔をしていた。 怒っているわけでもない。 挑発しているわけでもない。 まるで子供が当たり前の疑問を口にするみ
ラグナはしばらく、呆然と掌を見つめていた。 まるで、そこにあるはずの何かを探すように。 その視界の先で、倒れていた客たちが次々と目を覚ましていく。 失われていた価値が戻っていく。 《貴族令嬢:0G → 30,000,000G》 《魔道商会長:0G → 2,620,000G》 《王国騎士団員:0G → 1,980,000G》 価値は俺にしか見えないが、ラグナは悟ったのだろう。 肩から力が抜け、彼女の口から自嘲するような笑いが漏れた。「……負けたわ」 ラグナは深く息を吐く。 その息には、負けた悔しさが滲んでいた。 それでも、彼女の顔はどこか晴れやかだった。「……約束は約束よ。何でも言うことを聞いてあげる」 言って、ラグナは床へ背を預けた。 手足を大の字に開いて、ゆっくりと目を瞑る。「煮るなり焼くなり、ペットにするなり好きにしなさい」 それはそれで、潔すぎてちょっと不気味だった。 けれど俺は、持っていたキューを棄てて、その場にしゃがみ込んだ。 まだ膝がビリビリする。 痛みを押し殺して、ゆっくりと口を開く。「夜天競売会の会場、その裏口の鍵をくれ」 俺の言葉に、ラグナは目を見開いた。「それと、裏口まで案内してほしい」「……アナタ、本気で言ってるの? 私はアナタたちの敵なのよ?」「何でも言うこと聞くって約束だろ?」 当然のように答えると、ラグナは呆れたように額を押さえた。「普通お金とかじゃないの? そもそも、そんなこと言われて易々渡す奴が――」 その時、後ろから慌ただしい足音が聞こえてきた。「クラドー!」 振り返ると、ミリスがルーレットの盤上を走ってこちらに駆け寄ってくる。 続いてカグヤも、スカートの裾を押さえながら盤上に降りてきた。「無事で良かった」「いや、結構痛い。膝が……」「それは自業自得です。クラド殿はもう少し、計画的に無茶をしてください」「なんか冷たくない⁉」「作戦とはいえ、私たちを冷や冷やさせた罰です」 早速覚えた言葉で刺された。ちょっと傷付く。 ミリスは子供をあやすように俺の膝を撫で、クスクスと笑っている。「あのー、痛いからやめて」 そんな
この後の話は、後でミリスとカグヤから聞いた話だ。 俺がルーレットの卓から飛び出したせいで、所持枚数は残り十枚。「クラド殿は、必ず帰ってきます」「この状況でも信頼できるの? どう見たって、二人を身代わりに逃げたとしか思えないわ」 ラグナは目を細め、クスクスと声を殺しながら嘲笑する。 皮肉だが、そう取られても仕方がなかった。 きっと周りで倒れていた客たちも、同じ状況で絶望して逃げた結果、こうなったのだろう。 それでも、ミリスとカグヤは希望を捨てなかった。「クラドは、そんな人じゃない」「ミリスちゃんまで。あんな意気地なしな男、やめた方がいいわよ?」 話もそこそこに、ラグナはすぐさまチップの山を卓に載せる。「二番に百枚」 またしても迷いなく予想する。 しかしこれまでとは違って、カグヤたちは即決することなどできなかった。 理由は至極単純だ。 今までは、彼女が賭けた数字に便乗して、それに合わせた色か偶奇に賭けていた。 けれど、ラグナが途中で予想を変えて来た以上、同じ手はもう使えない。 かといって、賭けなければ負けを認めることになる。「……八方塞がり、ですね」 どれだけ考えても突破口が見つからない。 カグヤでさえ、勝ち筋を描けなかった。「でも、やるしかない」 ミリスは震える指でチップを押し出した。 置いた先の数字が何だったのか、彼女自身も覚えていなかった。「ミリス殿?」「せめて、クラドが帰って来るまで持ち堪えなきゃ」 ラグナの予想は絶対。負け確実の捨て戦。「あらあら、ここで大逆転を狙わなくて本当にいいの?」「生憎、身を滅ぼす賭けに出るほど早計じゃありませんから」「ふぅん、可愛くないの」 徐に足を組み直し、ラグナは深いため息を吐く。 果たして結果は、言わずもがなだった。「結果は二番。ラグナ様、八百枚の獲得です」 追い打ちをかけるように、ディーラーが告げる。 こうして残りは五枚。最初の状況に逆戻りしてしまった。 もう後がない。 たとえ一枚ずつ賭けたところで、結果は同じこと。「もう終わり? 子供のわりに、結構頑張ったんじゃないかしら?」「…………っ」 カグヤの額から冷や汗が垂れる。