The Elf Child

Trafficking, huh. Having "legal slaves" is one thing, but…

Kids are a bit… yeah.

Hm? Looking closer, the clothes are high quality. Not like a slave's.

No collar either… Kidnapping?

"Um — are you okay?"

I tried a harmless opener. The elf child flinched, silver ponytail swaying. A boy? Or a girl, maybe? The shorts suggest boy, but that adorable face… hmm. Can't tell. Either way, gorgeous. Way too cute.

  "Do you understand me? Hello?"

"Eep…!"

Ah, he's going to cry. Wait, wait.

"Quiet… Or the enemy will come."

"—!"

I gently covered his mouth and whispered.

There weren't any enemies here, of course. We were in a storage room. But the elf kid shut up as intended.

"Why are you here?"

"… Um… I… pirates attacked our ship… I hid in a crate."

I see. So he hid among the cargo, got hauled along with it, and ended up stacked in a warehouse.

Hmm, does that make him the rightful owner of some of these goods?

Ugh, I can't rob a kid!

I don't steal from children! Why'd I have to open this box first!

According to him, it happened about three days ago.

He probably survived inside the crate using cleaning and water magic.

… Ah. So this haul came in on my drinking-contest day, huh.

"Please — save my elder sister…!"

"Oh, you have a big sis? … A big sis! Okay, give me details! In the other crates? This one? Another?"

"N-no! My sister… she got caught by the pirates while hiding me…!"

I see. He was stuffed in a crate, so he doesn't know what happened to his sister. From what he overheard, Gomez and his men took her.

And while he stayed hidden, the cargo was moved into the warehouse and his crate got buried under others.

… So the sister probably isn't among this cargo.

What else is here? I scanned with Spatial Magic.

Cloth, clothing, liquor, spices maybe. No people.

These look like Golem parts… probably spares for Gomezti Company. I might take those. I want a Golem.

Lucky or unlucky, the first box I opened had this kid in it.

I would've opened them all anyway, so it was just a matter of order.

But wait, pirates are supposed to leave ships with permits alone, right?

Did this elf's company not have one?

Or more likely, Gomez ignored their permit and declared that the ship "never arrived." Trade by ship is always a gamble. (See Basic Knowledge.)

Anyway, there's one big thing that matters here:

If he has a big sis, she's surely a beauty. Her socks will earn me high SP!

"Got it. I'll save your sister! … By the way, are you a boy or a girl?"

"B-boy."

Tsk! A boy! … Though with a face that cute, maybe it still works! The Goddess said men and children are fine! And from my current perspective as a girl, he's cute enough to… ahem. No touching. He's a kid. Right.

Anyway! The key is shame. If I can harvest shame, even his socks can turn into SP!

But… how do you make a boy feel ashamed…?

…!

I noticed the clothes in the crate. Girls' clothes. In child sizes, too!

Clearly divine guidance! Decision made!

I'll make him a femboy!!!!