52－Slave①
Before he knew it, the sun had set.
Kurando came out from the Association’s reference room, and he went down the stairs while rolling his neck as if he had just finished a difficult task.
After making a general look over things regarding slaves, the law, and magic beasts, and re-writing some grimoires while he was at it, it ended up becoming this late hour.
When he arrived at about half-way down the stairway while feeling mental fatigue, Kurando was called out to by an Association staff member.
「You are Kurando-san, correct?」
「That’s right.」
Kurando said that and showed his tag.
「Ahh, thank goodness. There was a message from Iraida-san not too long ago. This is it.」
The staff member said that and handed a piece of paper that was folded in half to Kurando.
Maybe because it was right at a busy time, the staff member jogged towards the noisy reception desk.
After getting all the way down the stairway, Kurando went to a corner where he wouldn’t be in the way and opened up the folded piece of paper.
【There was some trouble, so we’ll be a bit late. There isn’t any trouble to our lives at all, so you don’t have to come here. Rather, don’t come. The things that you don’t like are here. That’s why you should just wait at the royal capital. By the way, Yukishiro is doing well so you don’t have to worry.】
Things that he didn’t like……Heroes huh.
Kurando grimaced.
After ruffling his hair, Kurando left the Association behind.
The road back to the inn from the Association was literally a road of temptation.
In the pitch dark path, lights that moved place to place were swaying, and each and every one of them were varied paper-lantern lights that numerous kinds of men and women held.
There was also light by magic, candle, lamp, and plates with oil placed on them.
They would call out to and occasionally cling onto or coquettishly lean against those that were walking down the road.
The ones that were here were slaves and prostitutes.
No, should they be called slave candidates?
The slaves of this country were mainly prisoner of war slaves, crime slaves, and debt slaves.
Since the prisoner of war slaves and crime slaves are directly managed by the royal government, they are assigned to places such as the front line, mines, and isolated islands.
Due to that sort of reason, there was almost nothing but debt slave candidates on the road of temptation.
There were two categories among the debt slaves. Those that became slaves as a result of going into debt and became unable to pay it back, and those that sold themselves. The ones on the road of temptation were mostly the latter.
There were some that were naturally born into the slave class, some that had debts and asked others if they would like to buy them, and some that sold themselves for the sake of their families. There were varied situations.
Searching for an owner that was even just a little bit better, the slave candidates would come to the road of temptation.
Despite excessive abuse towards slaves being prohibited in the kingdom laws, abuse towards debt slaves was done in secret. Even for the debt slaves’ side, it wasn’t just the violence, they feared being a nuisance to the family that they saved by going as far as selling themselves or being sold off to some unknown land, so unless there was some great matter to it, lawsuits wouldn’t come up.
Well then, what would happen in cases where slaves were brought out to countries where there was no slavery?
Naturally, the kingdom’s laws wouldn’t extend to a country with no slave laws, and depending on the treatment of the slave, it was possible to be arrested in those other countries, and even if the debt slaves themselves ran away, unless they returned to their own country, they couldn’t be punished for it.
To the last, slaves were only accepted in countries that had a slavery system.
「Danna, won’t you buy a slave? I can work.」
「Oniー-san, won’t you buy me? Let’s do something nice.」
A top half naked, bear-type Beastman male that was showing off his strong body was promoting his own sale, and a rabbit-type Beastman that was clad only in thin cloth and emphasized her voluptuous chest snuggled up and sweetly whispered to those that walked down the road.
While being talked to by various people that called out to him, he would shake his head sideways, or check their bodies.
Although Kurando refused or ignored the temptations, he harbored a somewhat out-of-place impression something like a rural festival, and was soaked in a faint nostalgia.
When he looked to his side for some reason, he realized that there was no one beside him.
Iraida wasn’t there.
And above all, Yukishiro wasn’t there.
Maybe because he was within the hustle and bustle of people, he excessively felt 『solitude』.
It didn’t go as far as being lonely, but putting it together with the nostalgia he felt earlier, he remembered unnecessary things.
The meeting with the parent magic beast, and being entrusted with Yukishiro.
And then, when Akari came to the mountain.
After that, Maxim, Iraida, Orphia, the Heroes.
Having troublesome things done, having promises broken, almost being killed, and even being saved.
In regards to the promises, he understood that they couldn’t be helped, and he didn’t bear a grudge against them.
No, the promise with the Heroes was broken, and anger would well up when he thought back on how he was nearly killed even now, but at the same time, a pathetic and vague emotion that wouldn’t be dyed by that black emotion would well up.
They were hatred, and resignation.
It was because he was weak, that the promise was broken.
It was because there was no trust in him, that the promise was broken.
It was because he was weak, that he was almost killed.
It wasn’t all that different from when he was in Japan.
Since he didn’t have any special abilities, he wasn’t needed in society, and he couldn’t keep a job.
That was reality, and he practically had no choice but to give in to the tyranny of those that had power.
But, both now and in the past, it was not like he had accepted it from the bottom of his heart.
Someday, he would get back at them.
If they crossed an unforgivable line, he would at least retaliate with a retort.
In a corner somewhere in his heart, he had not abandoned that 『someday』 which might never come for all of eternity.
No, he couldn’t abandon it, and wouldn’t abandon it.
Although he felt that he was being stupid for continuing to hold onto it, he felt that he might go crazy if he ever were to abandon it.
「Won’t you buy me. Whether it be as a slave, or for one night.」
He felt that he had heard that sort of thin voice, but Kurando was immersed in his own thoughts.
In the end.
He wanted someone that would absolutely not betray him.
There was no way he could accept being betrayed because he was weak.
Wanting something that wouldn’t betray him while he was weak despite being betrayed because he was weak might be inconsistent.
But even so, he wanted something that wouldn’t betray him even though he was weak.
Yukishiro was like that.
It wouldn’t betray him.
And even if it did betray him, at worst, he wouldn’t mind. He wouldn’t even feel like getting mad.
That was how much he had trusted it.
However, he himself was a human.
Even if he trusted Yukishiro from the bottom of his heart, he still had desires as a human.
He felt like he would anger Yukishiro if he were to say that to it though.
Even so, as long as he had to deal with a society that people created, having people that wouldn’t betray him was 『also』 needed.
If he were to live a lifestyle where he associate with people at all, then he might be fine with just Yukishiro, but while being involved with Akari and Iraida, he remembered the fun of associating with people.
He had no intention of completely associating with people, but he couldn’t go without doing a fair amount of associating with people.
He bitterly understood how reality was.
But, he also didn’t want to bow down to reality.
It wasn’t that he 『only』 wanted people that absolutely wouldn’t betray him.
He 『also』 wanted people that absolutely wouldn’t betray him.
「Won’t you buy me. Whether it be as a slave, or for one night.」
Noticing the voice of a woman that was the same as before, Kurando finally raised his head. Being immersed in his thoughts, his progress had become slow.
So it was a slave. If it’s a slave, they might not betray him.
As if it were a flash, he ended up thinking like that.
Going with such a thought, Kurando looked at the woman.
She was a woman that was like a bluish-white light.
Within the darkness, that is how Kurando saw the woman who silently stood there holding a small oil-plate light.
The woman was taller than Kurando, who was only a little less than 170 cm.
The greatly thin, triangular animal ears on her head made the woman’s height looke unnecessarily taller, but even without those, the woman was about a finger’s worth taller than him.
She had long, grey hair that went down to her waist, white skin, a slender face, and despite having a long and slender body, her bulges that pushed up the chest area of her worn out long one piece were large.
However, she didn’t have anything dazzling like the other slaves and prostitutes, and was like a ghost.
Maybe due to that, she was a woman with an overall impression of being ephemeral.
Since what she held was a small light, that might have made it look like that all the more.
「……So, how much is it?」
As if being persuaded by his earlier thoughts, Kurando talked to her.
He felt like buying a slave.
Although she had been the one to call out to him, the woman looked a bit surprised.
「I……am a Tanmai (bat-type beastman), but is that alright?」
Saying that, she opened up on arm.
Going from her small pinky to the bottom of her flank, there was a dark membrane.
Since beastmen had animal ears and tails, and even webbed fingers and shells, it shouldn’t be strange even if some had membranes like that.
「You’re that sort of race, right?」
「……I see. It is 100,000 Pamitto as a slave, and 20 Pamitto for a single night.」
Putting aside the price as a slave, for one night to be about 2 Rodo, Kurando was slightly surprised.
He had read about it in some documents, but it wasn’t like Kurando knew about how the slave trade actually worked.
「For now, I guess we should go to the inn.」
Kurando had said that noncommittally, but the woman didn’t say anything and followed him.
Kurando took the woman along, and headed to the inn that he had booked a room at during the day.
Surprisingly, the inn’s landlady had readily lead Kurando, who was accompanied by a woman, to his room.
She had meaningfully take a peek at the woman, but she didn’t say anything.
Even when he came during the day, she was really amiable just like Chai, and didn’t have any unpleasant parts to her when dealing with her. It was to the point that when he put out Chai’s name, she became even kinder.
Even now, when Kurando requested a change of rooms, she lead him to a different room with the same price as a one person room. One person went for 50 Pamitto.
Even when Kurando tried to do things over again and hand over the fee for two people along with a tip, she said that since she had already accepted Kurando’s portion earlier, she only took the woman’s portion, and other than that, she firmly didn’t take the tip.
The room they were led to was plain, but it was clean and tidy.
The largish bed was illuminated by an orange colored faint lamp.
A thin mat was spread out on the wooden frame bed, and two sheets of cloth were neatly folded and placed on the bed.
Chairs that looked like they were made of bamboo were beside it, and there was also a small desk.
After Kurando placed the shirts and pants and the cloth bag that had underwear, paper, writing brushes, and pencils that he had bought beside the bed, he removed his weapons and leaned them on the wall, then took off his armor.
When he casually looked over at the woman, the woman was blankly standing in front of the closed door.
After once again looking at the woman illuminated by the faint orange light, he found that she was covered in wounds.
There were also some new wounds, but there were many old bruises and cuts.
Since they covered her from her face to her whole body, it was strange in a world where Healing Magic existed. Even an ordinary person would heal most wounds, and this went even more for the Beastmen races that specialized in Self-Healing Magic.
By not relying on magic and letting it heal naturally, scars would be left behind. But, new wounds that were there for less than a year could be healed.
「――First, I guess I should heal your wounds.」
「No, I could accept that if I were to be bought by you, but since there is no telling if that will happen, please stop.」
The woman clearly refused him.
While listening to the woman’s refusal, Kurando finished changing into just a shirt and pants. Staying in leather armor even within the room was nothing but agony. Although it was night, it was still hot.
Thinking “I guess there’s no need to insist on it”, Kurando sat on the bed.
「Well, have a seat.」
Saying that, he pointed to a chair, but the woman didn’t sit down.
「……I believe that you would understand this, but if I were to get a woman for a one-night stand, I would buy someone else. In other words, what I want is a slave.」
「……It is 100,000 Pamitto, you know?」
For the first time, he felt that there was a faint light conceived in the woman’s eyes.
If it was just to live normally in this country, one could live out a year if they had 10,000 Pamitto, so the annual income of the common people was about that much, or maybe less than that.
After going from there and thinking that it would be ten years worth of annual income, it was a price out of reach for the common people who mostly didn’t have the leeway to save up that much.
It seemed that in this country, only Explorers, Merchants, and the privileged class would buy slaves.
Kurando had no opposition to the act of buying slaves.
It was because he thought of it as nothing more than a relationship of long term employment.
If he wanted a woman, then it would have been fine to buy a prostitute, and he had no interest in embracing a person with the position of a slave.
Kurando only had one thing that he sought in a slave.
Of course, it wasn’t for them to be exceedingly beautiful.
「There are several things I want to ask, but first, let me hear your circumstances in becoming a slave.」
At that moment, for the first time, the woman displayed a reaction-like response, and her thin eyebrows moved with a twitch.
But, that was all there was to the reaction, and the woman answered indifferently.
「Even if you ask about my circumstances, it’s merely a story of a woman who has no means to earn money trying to work as a slave.」
「In that case, it wouldn’t be a problem if you earned money as a prostitute, right? Just who was that money going to?」
「……It is to my family. It isn’t anything unusual in this country.」
In order to save a household in need, the daughter went out to sell herself. That was something that happens in any world.
「Be that as it may, you’re quite past the prime of your life, aren’t you. How old are you?」
「I am 30. Since my growth had finally stopped last year, I will keep this figure of appearing 29 years old for no less than another 30 years.」
The beastman race were said to stop aging at a certain fixed age, and maintain their peak. There were individual differences, but 29 was in the class of being slow.
「Your family……Is it your parent?」
「……Both of my parents died when I was young. My husband, has become unable to work.」
In his mind, Kurando was surprised by the fact that she had a husband.
It was an absurd story that was seen quite a bit in historical novels, but he didn’t think that he himself would be encountering it in reality.
「……Incidentally, what happens when a woman that has a husband becomes a slave?」
「Their name, their parent-child relationship, their marital relationship, all of it disappears and they become a slave. If you doubt me, please try asking about it at the slave bureau.」
In the Rattana Kingdom, the registration of all slaves was mandatory, and the ones that managed that was the slave bureau.
Even in the case that a slave ran away, if the owner were to report it to the slave bureau, they would be identified as a fugitive slave in countries that had slavery. Conversely, slaves that were abused were also able to rush in there.
Then again, it was hard to say that it was functioning properly.
「Are you fine with that?」
「You can probably tell from these wounds, but I am receiving abuse from my husband. I have no lingering affection for my husband.」
「Why don’t you run away?」
「……In this country, married women don’t have much freedom, and divorce cannot be started by the woman. Women that run away from their husbands would be brought back to them and receive a beating, and to begin with, I have no place to run away to. Besides, even if I were to leave this country, if I don’t understand the language, just how would a woman that doesn’t even have the strength to earn money be able to live?」
No matter what world it was, it seemed that poverty didn’t change.
「Besides, I am a 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』.」
「What do you mean when you say that 『Tanmai』 thing? Is it no good being a bat-type beastman?」
「……The word 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 is a derogatory term that means not being a bird nor an animal. It seems that the discrimination originally wasn’t that bad, but when the northern countries came to control the entirety of Ankwaal, the people of the north called the bat-type beastmen vampires, discriminated them more from the other beastmen races, and oppressed them. That was then transmitted to the other beastman races, and before anyone knew it, the bat-type beastmen were called 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 and became avoided.」
The northern countries might have created an outlet for dissatisfaction by adding in even more discriminated people among the citizens of the regions that they dominated.
「……Do vampires really exist?」
「I don’t know. Perhaps that might be talking about some powerful monster.」
「Are 『Tanmai』 unable to find employment?」
「In this country, no, in the entirety of Ankwaal, the work that 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 can find are either Hunter, Explorer, mercenary, prostitute, or slave. Besides, since I’m a different age 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 that is of a different species from both of my parents, and since I don’t possess a Gushuty either, I don’t have the backing of anyone either.」
「Please tell me about being a different age and the Gushuty. Ahh, even if I don’t buy you as a slave, I will pay you one night’s worth of money.」
Maybe because the woman didn’t care about Kurando’s proposal, she indifferently continued her explanation.
「Cases where a child of a race different from their parents, for example, if a cow-type beastman was born from a dog-type beastman and a cat-type beastman parents is born. Normally, the children between fellow beastmen would be a race of one of the parents without being mixed at all, but seldomly, there are children that are born reflecting the blood of their ancestors. That is what is known as being of a different age. As for the Gushuty, I suppose it could be called a mutual aid organizations for racial denominations, and normally one would have their parent introduce them to the one of their parent’s race, but I wouldn’t know since I was of a different age, and I do not even know where the Gushuty for the long discriminated 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 might even be.」
「In that case, what did you do before you got married?」
「I was an Explorer. But, since I didn’t rise up from the tenth rank, and since I get any significant earnings, I also did some prostitute-like things. Even so, I did my best just to be able to eat.」
Explorers were people that captured complicated ancient ruins that were like labyrinths, and being a tenth rank of the Explorer’s Guild was like being a 『Lutelera (ten-star)』 as a Hunter.
Explorers would have a higher degree of being able to get rich quick than Hunters, but both the money and the life for it was something severe.
「You have membranes, so you can fly, right? Why would you go out of your way to be an Explorer in cramped historic ruins?」
「……This isn’t really a law, but the skies belong to the birdman races. There are many among the birdman races that are awarded office and rank by the royalty, and their pride is high. If a 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 were to be seen flying, they would be dropped down to the ground, and in the worst case, they would be killed. Plus, there is no one in Ankwaal that has taken up the leadership role for the 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』.」
「……A leadership role huh.」
Kurando recalled things about Sarehado. If it Iraida wasn’t there, he wouldn’t have become a Hunter in Sarehado.
「This is a bit unrelated, but instead of the birdman race, wouldn’t they be the bird-type beastman race?」
「If you were to say that in front of a birdman race, they would get angry like a raging fire.」
「They sure are a bothersome bunch. So, you were an Explorer huh.」
「Yes. Since races that fly in the sky have a lot of magical power, they would normally be somehow able to manage devoting themselves to being rear support or providing covering fire even in ruins. I was unable to do it in any way though.」
In this world, there were only three races of man-type living creatures that would freely fly through the sky with their own power in this world. Two races among them were the birdmen races and the bat-type beastman race. They used Wind Spirits to fly through the sky long before Spirit Magic was made known. While not knowing about the existence of Wind Spirits, they could fly because they could fly. That was their consciousness about it.
「I want to ask this just as a reference, but what is it that you are able to do?」
「I am a 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』, but my affinity with Wind Spirits is only at an average level. Of course, I am able to fly, but because of that, I am unable to use Wind Spirit Magic when I am flying.」
「You can’t use it?」
「In the middle of flight, birdman races and the bat-type beastman race cannot use any other Spirit Magic, and can only use Wind Spirit Magic. Despite that, I cannot use Wind Spirit Magic either. In exchange, I can use Darkness Spirit Magic, but it isn’t very useful. Of course, I can use Strengthening and Self-Healing Magic though.」
With a story that seemed like he had heard before coming out, Kurando made a wry smile.
「Ahh, sorry. I also have a strong affinity with Darkness Spirits.」
「Is that so. So with that being the case, in my time as an Explorer, I played the role of a vanguard shield with Life Spirit Magic. I was sure that it was an impossible job for me, so I stopped at the tenth rank.」
The Beastman race was similar to the Giant race, but they had a tendency to be more specialized. They specialized with Self-Healing and Strengthening which were said to be internal-type Life Spirit Magic, and they were poor at Healing others and Barriers which were said to be external-type Life Spirit Magic. They were only able to handle about one or two types of Spirit Magic. It was said that since their bodies and five senses were excellent, they didn’t have a culture that developed Autonomous Magic to begin with.
「Don’t you have any of those racial characteristic things?」
That was about the abilities that the Beastmen races were born possessing.
「……I suppose we can somehow tell what’s in the surroundings even in dark places. Also, our strength is stronger and we’re faster than the normal human-races.」
She might be able to use echolocation.
「Ruins are dark, right? Was that not useful?」
「Most beastmen can see in the dark, and light can also be made with Spirit Magic.」
「……I see.」
After a bit of silence, the woman opened her mouth.
「And so, will you buy me?」
Kurando stated definitively without any hesitation.
「It’s impossible.」
「……Why, is that?」
The woman had a tone of voice that sounded like she was still hanging on to something.
Her first impression of being like a ghost was already gone.
「I also have my own circumstances. That’s why I wanted a person that I could absolutely trust. A person that wouldn’t betray me no matter what.」
「……」
「You are hiding something. And I don’t like that.」
Suddenly, the woman knelt down.
「Please buy me. I beg of you.」
As if supplicating that, tears rose up to the corners of her eyes.
「It’s impossible.」
Kurando certainly was the type to be easily moved by affection, and careless.
But, allowing parts that he wouldn’t allow would never happen.
「……That’s ridiculous.」
The woman blurted that out while still kneeling.
Tears were still gathering in the corners of her eyes.
Seeing her terribly vexed-looking face turned towards him, Kurando could tell that it wasn’t like she had revealed her true character to be a person doing this for money.
However, Kurando wasn’t angered at all, and spoke indifferently as if it were someone else’s problem.
「That’s right, it’s truly ridiculous.」
Hearing Kurando’s words, the woman knitted the brows of her vexed-looking face.
「Even I can tell that much. Even so, that is the condition. I won’t budge on it.」
The woman unblinkingly stared at Kurando.
It was a response as if she were looking at some rare animal or something.
「……As long as I don’t lie, as long as I don’t betray you, would you buy me?」
「It would depend on the circumstances though.」
While the woman was still meeting Kurando’s gaze, they didn’t make even the slightest movement as if they were probing each other’s true intentions.
The woman opened her mouth.
She faintly trembled.
「……Why would you try to buy a past her prime, injury-ridden, drab-looking 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 like me?」
「I have several reasons. First, it’s simply because your face is to my liking. Besides, it won’t be a problem if you won’t be showing any more marks of age than that. For your injuries, it will be fine if they heal, and it won’t be a problem either if that much is left behind. If you don’t have any diseases, then I don’t feel the need for you to be a virgin, and to begin with, I have no intention of forcibly embracing you either. I have no interest in embracing a doll, you see. Plus, species doesn’t matter to me. Also, in order to become a Rubinichia (seven-star), I would need to bring a newcomer up to a Shiburoshika (ninth-star). If it’s a slave, then it will be easy since there wouldn’t be any problems with personal relationships. It will take some money, but not much of it was needed to begin with, and if we ever really need some, it’ll be fine if we just earn it. Since it becomes easier to earn money the higher your rank is, it’s not a problem.」
「So you, were a Hunter.」
「……What did you think I was?」
「……Since you’re different from other Hunters, mercenaries, and Explorers, I thought you were a whimsical traveller. Besides, I am a woman that could only become a tenth rank. Being a Hunter is impossible for me.」
「I’ll do something about that part. It should be fine if it’s at the level of a Shiburoshika (ninth-star)……probably.」
Kurando said that, but to the humans of this world, there is a clear difference between a Lutelera (ten-star) and a Shiburoshika (ninth-star). Kurando had cleared it somehow or another, but normally, it wasn’t that simple of a story.
Whether one started in their hometown or somewhere else, weapons and armor needed to be prepared. That part was the first huge hurdle. Although this was a world where there were many dangers, weapons and armor, which were consumable goods, weren’t cheap.
And then a leadership role was needed. For women Hunters in particular, a personality for the leadership role was important. There were even people that had unreasonable demands that the position of the leadership role be done well.
From the point of view of the ordinary people of this world, becoming a Shiburoshika (ninth-star) was something fairly difficult to do.
「Supposing that I became a Hunter, if we were to go to a country where there was no slavery, I would run away, you know.」
「No, is there a need to run away? Since it would be fine if you just normally paid back the debt you have someday, it would be fine if you just freely earned money. People that won’t betray others in the same profession are precious. If you say that you’d run away despite that, well, if I can become a Rubinichia (seven-star), then the worst case would be that things return to how they were before. I’d think of it as having been tricked.」
「……Aren’t you a bit too good-natured?」
「I am a ridiculous Human that’s saying that he wants someone who won’t betray him after all.」
The woman, while kneeling, tightly clenched her fists.
She stared at the floor of the inn.
And then, she raised her head.
Having decided on something, having abandoned something, having placed a wager on something, she had that sort of face.
「I want to know, the truth.」
The woman spoke as if wringing it out from her throat.
「I had a son.」
「……So you had a child.」
「Yes, he was a 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 just like me. However, he died on his second birthday. He was killed by a burglar that suddenly broke in. Since their face was hidden, the criminal was never caught.」
「……So you’re saying that it was an action someone aimed to do.」
The woman had her face go grim.
「From here on is just my speculation. It might just be the delusions of a foolish mother that lost her child.
However, I suspect that it was either my husband, or my husband’s household that killed my son.」
52－Slave①
Before he knew it, the sun had set.
Kurando came out from the Association’s reference room, and he went down the stairs while rolling his neck as if he had just finished a difficult task.
After making a general look over things regarding slaves, the law, and magic beasts, and re-writing some grimoires while he was at it, it ended up becoming this late hour.
When he arrived at about half-way down the stairway while feeling mental fatigue, Kurando was called out to by an Association staff member.
「You are Kurando-san, correct?」
「That’s right.」
Kurando said that and showed his tag.
「Ahh, thank goodness. There was a message from Iraida-san not too long ago. This is it.」
The staff member said that and handed a piece of paper that was folded in half to Kurando.
Maybe because it was right at a busy time, the staff member jogged towards the noisy reception desk.
After getting all the way down the stairway, Kurando went to a corner where he wouldn’t be in the way and opened up the folded piece of paper.
【There was some trouble, so we’ll be a bit late. There isn’t any trouble to our lives at all, so you don’t have to come here. Rather, don’t come. The things that you don’t like are here. That’s why you should just wait at the royal capital. By the way, Yukishiro is doing well so you don’t have to worry.】
Things that he didn’t like……Heroes huh.
Kurando grimaced.
After ruffling his hair, Kurando left the Association behind.
The road back to the inn from the Association was literally a road of temptation.
In the pitch dark path, lights that moved place to place were swaying, and each and every one of them were varied paper-lantern lights that numerous kinds of men and women held.
There was also light by magic, candle, lamp, and plates with oil placed on them.
They would call out to and occasionally cling onto or coquettishly lean against those that were walking down the road.
The ones that were here were slaves and prostitutes.
No, should they be called slave candidates?
The slaves of this country were mainly prisoner of war slaves, crime slaves, and debt slaves.
Since the prisoner of war slaves and crime slaves are directly managed by the royal government, they are assigned to places such as the front line, mines, and isolated islands.
Due to that sort of reason, there was almost nothing but debt slave candidates on the road of temptation.
There were two categories among the debt slaves. Those that became slaves as a result of going into debt and became unable to pay it back, and those that sold themselves. The ones on the road of temptation were mostly the latter.
There were some that were naturally born into the slave class, some that had debts and asked others if they would like to buy them, and some that sold themselves for the sake of their families. There were varied situations.
Searching for an owner that was even just a little bit better, the slave candidates would come to the road of temptation.
Despite excessive abuse towards slaves being prohibited in the kingdom laws, abuse towards debt slaves was done in secret. Even for the debt slaves’ side, it wasn’t just the violence, they feared being a nuisance to the family that they saved by going as far as selling themselves or being sold off to some unknown land, so unless there was some great matter to it, lawsuits wouldn’t come up.
Well then, what would happen in cases where slaves were brought out to countries where there was no slavery?
Naturally, the kingdom’s laws wouldn’t extend to a country with no slave laws, and depending on the treatment of the slave, it was possible to be arrested in those other countries, and even if the debt slaves themselves ran away, unless they returned to their own country, they couldn’t be punished for it.
To the last, slaves were only accepted in countries that had a slavery system.
「Danna, won’t you buy a slave? I can work.」
「Oniー-san, won’t you buy me? Let’s do something nice.」
A top half naked, bear-type Beastman male that was showing off his strong body was promoting his own sale, and a rabbit-type Beastman that was clad only in thin cloth and emphasized her voluptuous chest snuggled up and sweetly whispered to those that walked down the road.
While being talked to by various people that called out to him, he would shake his head sideways, or check their bodies.
Although Kurando refused or ignored the temptations, he harbored a somewhat out-of-place impression something like a rural festival, and was soaked in a faint nostalgia.
When he looked to his side for some reason, he realized that there was no one beside him.
Iraida wasn’t there.
And above all, Yukishiro wasn’t there.
Maybe because he was within the hustle and bustle of people, he excessively felt 『solitude』.
It didn’t go as far as being lonely, but putting it together with the nostalgia he felt earlier, he remembered unnecessary things.
The meeting with the parent magic beast, and being entrusted with Yukishiro.
And then, when Akari came to the mountain.
After that, Maxim, Iraida, Orphia, the Heroes.
Having troublesome things done, having promises broken, almost being killed, and even being saved.
In regards to the promises, he understood that they couldn’t be helped, and he didn’t bear a grudge against them.
No, the promise with the Heroes was broken, and anger would well up when he thought back on how he was nearly killed even now, but at the same time, a pathetic and vague emotion that wouldn’t be dyed by that black emotion would well up.
They were hatred, and resignation.
It was because he was weak, that the promise was broken.
It was because there was no trust in him, that the promise was broken.
It was because he was weak, that he was almost killed.
It wasn’t all that different from when he was in Japan.
Since he didn’t have any special abilities, he wasn’t needed in society, and he couldn’t keep a job.
That was reality, and he practically had no choice but to give in to the tyranny of those that had power.
But, both now and in the past, it was not like he had accepted it from the bottom of his heart.
Someday, he would get back at them.
If they crossed an unforgivable line, he would at least retaliate with a retort.
In a corner somewhere in his heart, he had not abandoned that 『someday』 which might never come for all of eternity.
No, he couldn’t abandon it, and wouldn’t abandon it.
Although he felt that he was being stupid for continuing to hold onto it, he felt that he might go crazy if he ever were to abandon it.
「Won’t you buy me. Whether it be as a slave, or for one night.」
He felt that he had heard that sort of thin voice, but Kurando was immersed in his own thoughts.
In the end.
He wanted someone that would absolutely not betray him.
There was no way he could accept being betrayed because he was weak.
Wanting something that wouldn’t betray him while he was weak despite being betrayed because he was weak might be inconsistent.
But even so, he wanted something that wouldn’t betray him even though he was weak.
Yukishiro was like that.
It wouldn’t betray him.
And even if it did betray him, at worst, he wouldn’t mind. He wouldn’t even feel like getting mad.
That was how much he had trusted it.
However, he himself was a human.
Even if he trusted Yukishiro from the bottom of his heart, he still had desires as a human.
He felt like he would anger Yukishiro if he were to say that to it though.
Even so, as long as he had to deal with a society that people created, having people that wouldn’t betray him was 『also』 needed.
If he were to live a lifestyle where he associate with people at all, then he might be fine with just Yukishiro, but while being involved with Akari and Iraida, he remembered the fun of associating with people.
He had no intention of completely associating with people, but he couldn’t go without doing a fair amount of associating with people.
He bitterly understood how reality was.
But, he also didn’t want to bow down to reality.
It wasn’t that he 『only』 wanted people that absolutely wouldn’t betray him.
He 『also』 wanted people that absolutely wouldn’t betray him.
「Won’t you buy me. Whether it be as a slave, or for one night.」
Noticing the voice of a woman that was the same as before, Kurando finally raised his head. Being immersed in his thoughts, his progress had become slow.
So it was a slave. If it’s a slave, they might not betray him.
As if it were a flash, he ended up thinking like that.
Going with such a thought, Kurando looked at the woman.
She was a woman that was like a bluish-white light.
Within the darkness, that is how Kurando saw the woman who silently stood there holding a small oil-plate light.
The woman was taller than Kurando, who was only a little less than 170 cm.
The greatly thin, triangular animal ears on her head made the woman’s height looke unnecessarily taller, but even without those, the woman was about a finger’s worth taller than him.
She had long, grey hair that went down to her waist, white skin, a slender face, and despite having a long and slender body, her bulges that pushed up the chest area of her worn out long one piece were large.
However, she didn’t have anything dazzling like the other slaves and prostitutes, and was like a ghost.
Maybe due to that, she was a woman with an overall impression of being ephemeral.
Since what she held was a small light, that might have made it look like that all the more.
「……So, how much is it?」
As if being persuaded by his earlier thoughts, Kurando talked to her.
He felt like buying a slave.
Although she had been the one to call out to him, the woman looked a bit surprised.
「I……am a Tanmai (bat-type beastman), but is that alright?」
Saying that, she opened up on arm.
Going from her small pinky to the bottom of her flank, there was a dark membrane.
Since beastmen had animal ears and tails, and even webbed fingers and shells, it shouldn’t be strange even if some had membranes like that.
「You’re that sort of race, right?」
「……I see. It is 100,000 Pamitto as a slave, and 20 Pamitto for a single night.」
Putting aside the price as a slave, for one night to be about 2 Rodo, Kurando was slightly surprised.
He had read about it in some documents, but it wasn’t like Kurando knew about how the slave trade actually worked.
「For now, I guess we should go to the inn.」
Kurando had said that noncommittally, but the woman didn’t say anything and followed him.
Kurando took the woman along, and headed to the inn that he had booked a room at during the day.
Surprisingly, the inn’s landlady had readily lead Kurando, who was accompanied by a woman, to his room.
She had meaningfully take a peek at the woman, but she didn’t say anything.
Even when he came during the day, she was really amiable just like Chai, and didn’t have any unpleasant parts to her when dealing with her. It was to the point that when he put out Chai’s name, she became even kinder.
Even now, when Kurando requested a change of rooms, she lead him to a different room with the same price as a one person room. One person went for 50 Pamitto.
Even when Kurando tried to do things over again and hand over the fee for two people along with a tip, she said that since she had already accepted Kurando’s portion earlier, she only took the woman’s portion, and other than that, she firmly didn’t take the tip.
The room they were led to was plain, but it was clean and tidy.
The largish bed was illuminated by an orange colored faint lamp.
A thin mat was spread out on the wooden frame bed, and two sheets of cloth were neatly folded and placed on the bed.
Chairs that looked like they were made of bamboo were beside it, and there was also a small desk.
After Kurando placed the shirts and pants and the cloth bag that had underwear, paper, writing brushes, and pencils that he had bought beside the bed, he removed his weapons and leaned them on the wall, then took off his armor.
When he casually looked over at the woman, the woman was blankly standing in front of the closed door.
After once again looking at the woman illuminated by the faint orange light, he found that she was covered in wounds.
There were also some new wounds, but there were many old bruises and cuts.
Since they covered her from her face to her whole body, it was strange in a world where Healing Magic existed. Even an ordinary person would heal most wounds, and this went even more for the Beastmen races that specialized in Self-Healing Magic.
By not relying on magic and letting it heal naturally, scars would be left behind. But, new wounds that were there for less than a year could be healed.
「――First, I guess I should heal your wounds.」
「No, I could accept that if I were to be bought by you, but since there is no telling if that will happen, please stop.」
The woman clearly refused him.
While listening to the woman’s refusal, Kurando finished changing into just a shirt and pants. Staying in leather armor even within the room was nothing but agony. Although it was night, it was still hot.
Thinking “I guess there’s no need to insist on it”, Kurando sat on the bed.
「Well, have a seat.」
Saying that, he pointed to a chair, but the woman didn’t sit down.
「……I believe that you would understand this, but if I were to get a woman for a one-night stand, I would buy someone else. In other words, what I want is a slave.」
「……It is 100,000 Pamitto, you know?」
For the first time, he felt that there was a faint light conceived in the woman’s eyes.
If it was just to live normally in this country, one could live out a year if they had 10,000 Pamitto, so the annual income of the common people was about that much, or maybe less than that.
After going from there and thinking that it would be ten years worth of annual income, it was a price out of reach for the common people who mostly didn’t have the leeway to save up that much.
It seemed that in this country, only Explorers, Merchants, and the privileged class would buy slaves.
Kurando had no opposition to the act of buying slaves.
It was because he thought of it as nothing more than a relationship of long term employment.
If he wanted a woman, then it would have been fine to buy a prostitute, and he had no interest in embracing a person with the position of a slave.
Kurando only had one thing that he sought in a slave.
Of course, it wasn’t for them to be exceedingly beautiful.
「There are several things I want to ask, but first, let me hear your circumstances in becoming a slave.」
At that moment, for the first time, the woman displayed a reaction-like response, and her thin eyebrows moved with a twitch.
But, that was all there was to the reaction, and the woman answered indifferently.
「Even if you ask about my circumstances, it’s merely a story of a woman who has no means to earn money trying to work as a slave.」
「In that case, it wouldn’t be a problem if you earned money as a prostitute, right? Just who was that money going to?」
「……It is to my family. It isn’t anything unusual in this country.」
In order to save a household in need, the daughter went out to sell herself. That was something that happens in any world.
「Be that as it may, you’re quite past the prime of your life, aren’t you. How old are you?」
「I am 30. Since my growth had finally stopped last year, I will keep this figure of appearing 29 years old for no less than another 30 years.」
The beastman race were said to stop aging at a certain fixed age, and maintain their peak. There were individual differences, but 29 was in the class of being slow.
「Your family……Is it your parent?」
「……Both of my parents died when I was young. My husband, has become unable to work.」
In his mind, Kurando was surprised by the fact that she had a husband.
It was an absurd story that was seen quite a bit in historical novels, but he didn’t think that he himself would be encountering it in reality.
「……Incidentally, what happens when a woman that has a husband becomes a slave?」
「Their name, their parent-child relationship, their marital relationship, all of it disappears and they become a slave. If you doubt me, please try asking about it at the slave bureau.」
In the Rattana Kingdom, the registration of all slaves was mandatory, and the ones that managed that was the slave bureau.
Even in the case that a slave ran away, if the owner were to report it to the slave bureau, they would be identified as a fugitive slave in countries that had slavery. Conversely, slaves that were abused were also able to rush in there.
Then again, it was hard to say that it was functioning properly.
「Are you fine with that?」
「You can probably tell from these wounds, but I am receiving abuse from my husband. I have no lingering affection for my husband.」
「Why don’t you run away?」
「……In this country, married women don’t have much freedom, and divorce cannot be started by the woman. Women that run away from their husbands would be brought back to them and receive a beating, and to begin with, I have no place to run away to. Besides, even if I were to leave this country, if I don’t understand the language, just how would a woman that doesn’t even have the strength to earn money be able to live?」
No matter what world it was, it seemed that poverty didn’t change.
「Besides, I am a 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』.」
「What do you mean when you say that 『Tanmai』 thing? Is it no good being a bat-type beastman?」
「……The word 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 is a derogatory term that means not being a bird nor an animal. It seems that the discrimination originally wasn’t that bad, but when the northern countries came to control the entirety of Ankwaal, the people of the north called the bat-type beastmen vampires, discriminated them more from the other beastmen races, and oppressed them. That was then transmitted to the other beastman races, and before anyone knew it, the bat-type beastmen were called 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 and became avoided.」
The northern countries might have created an outlet for dissatisfaction by adding in even more discriminated people among the citizens of the regions that they dominated.
「……Do vampires really exist?」
「I don’t know. Perhaps that might be talking about some powerful monster.」
「Are 『Tanmai』 unable to find employment?」
「In this country, no, in the entirety of Ankwaal, the work that 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 can find are either Hunter, Explorer, mercenary, prostitute, or slave. Besides, since I’m a different age 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 that is of a different species from both of my parents, and since I don’t possess a Gushuty either, I don’t have the backing of anyone either.」
「Please tell me about being a different age and the Gushuty. Ahh, even if I don’t buy you as a slave, I will pay you one night’s worth of money.」
Maybe because the woman didn’t care about Kurando’s proposal, she indifferently continued her explanation.
「Cases where a child of a race different from their parents, for example, if a cow-type beastman was born from a dog-type beastman and a cat-type beastman parents is born. Normally, the children between fellow beastmen would be a race of one of the parents without being mixed at all, but seldomly, there are children that are born reflecting the blood of their ancestors. That is what is known as being of a different age. As for the Gushuty, I suppose it could be called a mutual aid organizations for racial denominations, and normally one would have their parent introduce them to the one of their parent’s race, but I wouldn’t know since I was of a different age, and I do not even know where the Gushuty for the long discriminated 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 might even be.」
「In that case, what did you do before you got married?」
「I was an Explorer. But, since I didn’t rise up from the tenth rank, and since I get any significant earnings, I also did some prostitute-like things. Even so, I did my best just to be able to eat.」
Explorers were people that captured complicated ancient ruins that were like labyrinths, and being a tenth rank of the Explorer’s Guild was like being a 『Lutelera (ten-star)』 as a Hunter.
Explorers would have a higher degree of being able to get rich quick than Hunters, but both the money and the life for it was something severe.
「You have membranes, so you can fly, right? Why would you go out of your way to be an Explorer in cramped historic ruins?」
「……This isn’t really a law, but the skies belong to the birdman races. There are many among the birdman races that are awarded office and rank by the royalty, and their pride is high. If a 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 were to be seen flying, they would be dropped down to the ground, and in the worst case, they would be killed. Plus, there is no one in Ankwaal that has taken up the leadership role for the 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』.」
「……A leadership role huh.」
Kurando recalled things about Sarehado. If it Iraida wasn’t there, he wouldn’t have become a Hunter in Sarehado.
「This is a bit unrelated, but instead of the birdman race, wouldn’t they be the bird-type beastman race?」
「If you were to say that in front of a birdman race, they would get angry like a raging fire.」
「They sure are a bothersome bunch. So, you were an Explorer huh.」
「Yes. Since races that fly in the sky have a lot of magical power, they would normally be somehow able to manage devoting themselves to being rear support or providing covering fire even in ruins. I was unable to do it in any way though.」
In this world, there were only three races of man-type living creatures that would freely fly through the sky with their own power in this world. Two races among them were the birdmen races and the bat-type beastman race. They used Wind Spirits to fly through the sky long before Spirit Magic was made known. While not knowing about the existence of Wind Spirits, they could fly because they could fly. That was their consciousness about it.
「I want to ask this just as a reference, but what is it that you are able to do?」
「I am a 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』, but my affinity with Wind Spirits is only at an average level. Of course, I am able to fly, but because of that, I am unable to use Wind Spirit Magic when I am flying.」
「You can’t use it?」
「In the middle of flight, birdman races and the bat-type beastman race cannot use any other Spirit Magic, and can only use Wind Spirit Magic. Despite that, I cannot use Wind Spirit Magic either. In exchange, I can use Darkness Spirit Magic, but it isn’t very useful. Of course, I can use Strengthening and Self-Healing Magic though.」
With a story that seemed like he had heard before coming out, Kurando made a wry smile.
「Ahh, sorry. I also have a strong affinity with Darkness Spirits.」
「Is that so. So with that being the case, in my time as an Explorer, I played the role of a vanguard shield with Life Spirit Magic. I was sure that it was an impossible job for me, so I stopped at the tenth rank.」
The Beastman race was similar to the Giant race, but they had a tendency to be more specialized. They specialized with Self-Healing and Strengthening which were said to be internal-type Life Spirit Magic, and they were poor at Healing others and Barriers which were said to be external-type Life Spirit Magic. They were only able to handle about one or two types of Spirit Magic. It was said that since their bodies and five senses were excellent, they didn’t have a culture that developed Autonomous Magic to begin with.
「Don’t you have any of those racial characteristic things?」
That was about the abilities that the Beastmen races were born possessing.
「……I suppose we can somehow tell what’s in the surroundings even in dark places. Also, our strength is stronger and we’re faster than the normal human-races.」
She might be able to use echolocation.
「Ruins are dark, right? Was that not useful?」
「Most beastmen can see in the dark, and light can also be made with Spirit Magic.」
「……I see.」
After a bit of silence, the woman opened her mouth.
「And so, will you buy me?」
Kurando stated definitively without any hesitation.
「It’s impossible.」
「……Why, is that?」
The woman had a tone of voice that sounded like she was still hanging on to something.
Her first impression of being like a ghost was already gone.
「I also have my own circumstances. That’s why I wanted a person that I could absolutely trust. A person that wouldn’t betray me no matter what.」
「……」
「You are hiding something. And I don’t like that.」
Suddenly, the woman knelt down.
「Please buy me. I beg of you.」
As if supplicating that, tears rose up to the corners of her eyes.
「It’s impossible.」
Kurando certainly was the type to be easily moved by affection, and careless.
But, allowing parts that he wouldn’t allow would never happen.
「……That’s ridiculous.」
The woman blurted that out while still kneeling.
Tears were still gathering in the corners of her eyes.
Seeing her terribly vexed-looking face turned towards him, Kurando could tell that it wasn’t like she had revealed her true character to be a person doing this for money.
However, Kurando wasn’t angered at all, and spoke indifferently as if it were someone else’s problem.
「That’s right, it’s truly ridiculous.」
Hearing Kurando’s words, the woman knitted the brows of her vexed-looking face.
「Even I can tell that much. Even so, that is the condition. I won’t budge on it.」
The woman unblinkingly stared at Kurando.
It was a response as if she were looking at some rare animal or something.
「……As long as I don’t lie, as long as I don’t betray you, would you buy me?」
「It would depend on the circumstances though.」
While the woman was still meeting Kurando’s gaze, they didn’t make even the slightest movement as if they were probing each other’s true intentions.
The woman opened her mouth.
She faintly trembled.
「……Why would you try to buy a past her prime, injury-ridden, drab-looking 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 like me?」
「I have several reasons. First, it’s simply because your face is to my liking. Besides, it won’t be a problem if you won’t be showing any more marks of age than that. For your injuries, it will be fine if they heal, and it won’t be a problem either if that much is left behind. If you don’t have any diseases, then I don’t feel the need for you to be a virgin, and to begin with, I have no intention of forcibly embracing you either. I have no interest in embracing a doll, you see. Plus, species doesn’t matter to me. Also, in order to become a Rubinichia (seven-star), I would need to bring a newcomer up to a Shiburoshika (ninth-star). If it’s a slave, then it will be easy since there wouldn’t be any problems with personal relationships. It will take some money, but not much of it was needed to begin with, and if we ever really need some, it’ll be fine if we just earn it. Since it becomes easier to earn money the higher your rank is, it’s not a problem.」
「So you, were a Hunter.」
「……What did you think I was?」
「……Since you’re different from other Hunters, mercenaries, and Explorers, I thought you were a whimsical traveller. Besides, I am a woman that could only become a tenth rank. Being a Hunter is impossible for me.」
「I’ll do something about that part. It should be fine if it’s at the level of a Shiburoshika (ninth-star)……probably.」
Kurando said that, but to the humans of this world, there is a clear difference between a Lutelera (ten-star) and a Shiburoshika (ninth-star). Kurando had cleared it somehow or another, but normally, it wasn’t that simple of a story.
Whether one started in their hometown or somewhere else, weapons and armor needed to be prepared. That part was the first huge hurdle. Although this was a world where there were many dangers, weapons and armor, which were consumable goods, weren’t cheap.
And then a leadership role was needed. For women Hunters in particular, a personality for the leadership role was important. There were even people that had unreasonable demands that the position of the leadership role be done well.
From the point of view of the ordinary people of this world, becoming a Shiburoshika (ninth-star) was something fairly difficult to do.
「Supposing that I became a Hunter, if we were to go to a country where there was no slavery, I would run away, you know.」
「No, is there a need to run away? Since it would be fine if you just normally paid back the debt you have someday, it would be fine if you just freely earned money. People that won’t betray others in the same profession are precious. If you say that you’d run away despite that, well, if I can become a Rubinichia (seven-star), then the worst case would be that things return to how they were before. I’d think of it as having been tricked.」
「……Aren’t you a bit too good-natured?」
「I am a ridiculous Human that’s saying that he wants someone who won’t betray him after all.」
The woman, while kneeling, tightly clenched her fists.
She stared at the floor of the inn.
And then, she raised her head.
Having decided on something, having abandoned something, having placed a wager on something, she had that sort of face.
「I want to know, the truth.」
The woman spoke as if wringing it out from her throat.
「I had a son.」
「……So you had a child.」
「Yes, he was a 『Tanmai (bat-type beastman)』 just like me. However, he died on his second birthday. He was killed by a burglar that suddenly broke in. Since their face was hidden, the criminal was never caught.」
「……So you’re saying that it was an action someone aimed to do.」
The woman had her face go grim.
「From here on is just my speculation. It might just be the delusions of a foolish mother that lost her child.
However, I suspect that it was either my husband, or my husband’s household that killed my son.」
