(MC POV)
I got better ok? I stopped at three this time…
On the fourth time, I managed to slap the guy without destroying reality with it. There was still enough force to send him crashing into his friends and knocking all of them out though.
Hey, what can I say? I tried my best.
"Da… Darling?" Manami gasped, surprised to see me there with my hand outstretched.
"Were these people bothering you? Hmm… Maybe I should have asked that before I slapped them…"
"I… I… No, I mean… They…"
I reached up and patted her head, "It's ok, Manami. You can rely on me, you know? You don't need to always take care of things yourself. In fact, since this place clearly doesn't want you around, I would like to bring you back with me instead."
Before anyone could say anything else, I took her by the hand and started walking towards the exit of the store.
Predictably, the manager quickly ran after us.
"Hey! Stop right there! What do you think you're doing?! She signed a contract with me! You can't just take her away!!"
I turned back to narrow my eyes at him, "Didn't you already give up on her? What's wrong with me taking her away?"
He sneered at me, "Hmph! Do you think a cripple like her could have gotten work at my establishment so easily? She signed a ten year employment contract with me! She has to fulfil the terms stipulated in the contract or I can enslave her for breaching the contract! Even if you were to take her away, I can still invoke the terms!"
I turned to Manami, "Is that true?"
She hesitated before nodding, "I… I needed a place to stay… And I was desperate… So I didn't see the terms when I signed it… It's only afterwards that I realised… What I got myself into…"
Damn… For Manami to make a mistake like this, she must have been truly desperate at that time. I wouldn't be surprised if she was starving and on a brink of death at that time that the contract looked like a godsend to her.
"Are you even being paid?"
"Only… Only from tips… I don't have a salary… That's why… That's why I had to use my illusion to make customers give me tips…"
I turned back to the manager, "You are worse than those men I just slapped, do you know that?"
"What are you going to do? Slap me?"
I slapped him, of course. I even held back properly so that I don't destroy the rest of the World with him too.
The piece of human trash held his face while looking up at me in shock from where he laid on the ground, "How… How dare you?! This is assault! I'll call the guards! You hear? You think I don't know who you are?! You're just that stupid pastry shop owner! I have friends!"
I waved my hand at him, "Stop wasting my time and name your price, how much do you want before you release her?"
He got up while holding his still red face while smirking at me, "Ha! I'm not interested in money! She's my main crowd pleaser, so of course I wouldn't be willing to give her up to anyone! And do you think I'm going to let you off easily?! I'll make sure you end up behind bars for this! Let's see how you like that!"
"Alright, then how about I buy your shop?"
"Wha… What? Ahem… I mean… My shop isn't for sale either! I don't care if you brought our ten gold coins or whatever!"
"What about a hundred?" I asked, bringing out a pouch full of said gold coins that I materialised out of thin air.
"Ah… Hahaha! Do you take me for a fool?! Like anyone would believe you would have that amount of money on you!"
I shrugged, "Should have taken the offer when you had the chance. Then again, you'll be gone by the end of this anyway."
Turning back around, I continued to pull Manami away and out of the store.
"Hey!! You're stealing her from me right now! You dare to breach her contract?!!"
I snapped my fingers and materialised the contract in my hand, "Do you mean this contract?"
His eyes widened and he started patting his coat pocket, growing more shocked to realise that the piece of paper was no longer there.
I then burned it with fire and the piece of paper was incinerated right before his eyes.
The manager's eyes expanded to the size of saucers, realising that I was a Practitioner and not a normal human.
"Just to let you know, I'm pretty sure the guards will side with me even if I were to cut off your arm right now."
He must have realised the underlying meaning behind my words as he started to stammer, "N… No way… Ma… Master Lin of Heaven Sect?"
I chose not to answer him and merely continued pulling Manami with me, the woman still looking quite stunned at what just happened to her.
Outside, Lian Li was waiting for me with Cai Hong sucking on her finger cutely.
"Ooh~ Hello Manami~ Are you coming back with us?" Lian Li asked with a knowing smile.
Cai Hong ran towards her with her arms outstretched, "Big sis Manami!!"
Manami was still operating on autopilot so she caught the loli dragon on instinct, only coming back to her senses when Cai Hong leapt into her arms with a 'pompf'.
"Dar… Master Lin?" She muttered, turning to me.
"Come now, hearing you call me that suddenly feels very weird, you can just behave as normal without minding so much."
"But… But…"
Lian Li came up to her and placed a finger on Manami's lips, "Hush, hush~ Didn't Darling already told you it's ok? You should just be a good girl and listen to Him, don't you think?"
Since when did you take up the big sister role for her?
I suppose seeing Manami in her vulnerable state right now was also a really strange thing for me as well.
I don't blame her though, she's quite convinced that she would be trapped in that horrible work environment for the next few years with no way out and right now she's still trying to come to terms with the fact that she was freed.
What's more, while she knew I was a Practitioner, she did not know who exactly I was in this World. So knowing that I was actually Master Lin from Heaven Sect must have come as a huge shock to her as well.
That's why… When she started tearing up and sniffling trying to hold her tears back, I pulled her into a hug and made soothing noises at her, prompting her to finally break down and start crying into my chest.
It's all going to be ok now, Manami.
I'm still coming back later to flatten this store to the ground though.
What? You think I would just let a piece of shit like that guy get away with just a simple slap? Another World or no, I'm still going to make him suffer.
