The Troublesome Slave Trader

It was just before noon in the Royal Capital.

I came with Liricia to the slave trader’s establishment.

To free Liricia from her status as an unconditional slave.

It was a large three-story Western-style mansion.

When we went inside and told an employee that we wanted to meet the slave trader Simon, we were immediately shown to a reception room.

Even calling it a reception room, it was spacious enough for twenty people, with plush carpets, sofas, and a marble table. Vases and sculptures and the like overflowed with flashy luxury.

Liricia and I sat side by side on the sofa, drinking tea, when Simon, a thin elderly man, came in.

He sat down across the table from us.

“Welcome, Alec-sama. What business have you come for today?”

“I want to cancel Liricia’s slave contract.”

“Hmm. So rather than selling her, you wish to release her from the status of an unconditional slave?”

“That’s right. Can it be done?”

At my question, Simon stroked his chin and frowned.

“It is not impossible, but it is somewhat difficult.”

“Why? Wouldn’t it be enough if I paid money?”

“Because unconditional slaves include criminal slaves, release is difficult. Basically, the only cases where release is possible are when there are unavoidable reasons, such as a false accusation or being the victim of fraud.”

“Liricia simply ended up burdened with debt, so it seems like it ought to be solvable if I just pay the money…”

I looked at Liricia sitting beside me.

Liricia’s brows drooped as if she were about to cry.

“Uu… I am very sorry, Master.”

“No, no, I’m not blaming you… Simon, is there some problem?”

“Yes, Liricia-san’s case is a little complicated. There is the issue that she borrowed too much despite having no cash income and no means of repayment. Also, the fact that Liricia-san disgraced the Church is another reason why lifting it is treated strictly.”

“Disgraced it?”

“The orphanage is run on support from the Church. And yet its management failed, so one might say it smeared mud on the Church’s authority.”

“I see? Wasn’t that because the support was insufficient?”

At my question, Liricia shook her head softly. Her silver hair swayed fleetingly.

“No, Master. I am the one at fault… I was told around ten children, but I ended up taking in more than thirty, and that made the operation run at a deficit…”

“Hmnn. So your crime was being too kind.”

“At that time, the only thing I could remember was the mission to protect children, so I took them in one after another… When I thought one of them might be that child, I simply could not abandon them.”

Liricia said that apologetically. Her violet eyes were moist with sadness.

I nodded firmly.

“There’s no problem. I like kind Liricia. —Then, Simon, couldn’t you release her from unconditional slavery even if you had to be a bit forceful about it?”

“Since the Church is involved, we would need Archbishop Brave to write a note, or have someone with power equal to the Church speak on her behalf.”

“The King, huh… I could do that if I had to… but, hmm…”

If I went to ask like I was now, I would definitely end up being made to serve as the hero again. And I was younger now, too.

—But I was done with that. I did it for thirty years. I wanted to spend the rest of my life taking it easy together with Liricia.

If that was the case, I wanted to go ask only after obtaining something I could use in negotiations.

Simon spoke respectfully.

“Once someone has fallen into unconditional slavery, the easiest path to freedom is for them to spend the prescribed period as a slave. I will do my utmost to have it lifted, but if that proves impossible, I ask for your understanding.”

“I see… but I can’t wait sixteen years. I want to stand as Liricia’s equal right now. And I want to marry her.”

Simon turned his eyes toward Liricia. The corners of his eyes seemed to loosen with quiet pleasure.

“Hahh… It seems Liricia-san has been bought by a fine master.”

“Yes, to me, Master is the person fate chose for me.”

Liricia smiled brightly, from the bottom of her heart.

Simon nodded, the corners of his eyes wrinkling.

“Understood. Alec-sama, please also look for an influential person who may be willing to speak on her behalf. Since you were a hero, there may be someone willing to cooperate.”

“Hm, I’ll look into it. —Ah, right. By the way, do you happen to have any cheap unconditional slaves? Someone capable of arithmetic, at least.”

That thought occurred to me suddenly, so I asked.

Simon tilted his head slightly as he spoke.

“What would you need them for?”

“I want someone to watch the shop. Being able to do arithmetic is essential, and if they’re strong enough to handle violent troublemakers, even better.”

“In that case, how about Nefil-san? She is the thief you met once before.”

“Hm, her…”

A female thief with a slender figure and a seductive air about her. The fact that she had been so alluring bothered me a little, but…

Then someone tugged lightly at my clothes.

When I looked, Liricia was pinching and tugging at them with her fingers.

Her violet eyes were pleading, “Not her.” For some reason, she looked sad.

Apparently, she did not like Nefil.

“That woman seems highly capable, and that means she’d probably be expensive too. Isn’t there anyone else?”

“Other than her… in terms of low price, there is a boy sold from a farming village, and an old man who couldn’t pay for his medicine… but I believe both of them are a little uncertain when it comes to arithmetic.”

“That would be a problem…”

“Ah, aside from them. There is a somewhat interesting child among the conditional slaves.”

“Interesting?”

“Yes, I have only interviewed the child so far, and whether to make a contract is still on hold, but apparently the child wants to become a hero.”

“Isn’t that just admiration?”

“At least, the child does have Serâge hidden within. It is faint, but present.”

Well, if one became a hero, all sorts of benefits came with it, so if someone had Serâge, it was understandable that they might want to become one.

—But it sounded troublesome in all sorts of ways.

“If they want to become a hero, then rather than going through a slave trader, they should petition the country. More to the point, if they want to become a hero, then all the more reason they can’t be used as a shop clerk.”

“Exactly… We have many highly capable people even among our unconditional slaves, so using one only as a shop clerk might be overkill.”

“I see. …Well, I do want one unconditional slave, so if you get someone cheap and suitable, let me know.”

“Understood. And what is your budget?”

“You’re planning to take advantage of me. Well, whatever, you’ve helped me out. —At most, somewhere under three million.”

“Understood.”

At my words, Simon bowed his head.

I rose from the sofa. Liricia rose as well.

“Then I’m counting on you.”

“We look forward to serving you again.”

Simon also stood and bowed deeply.

After that, Liricia and I left the slave trader’s mansion.

We walked through a back street of the Royal Capital toward the shop. Since it was past noon, lively voices and sounds spilled out from the crowded set-meal restaurants.

Walking beside me, Liricia spoke with an apologetic tone for some reason.

“Master, please do not push yourself too hard. It pains me to become a burden that holds you back. Even if things remain as they are until the term passes, I do not mind.”

Her drooping eyes looked up at me, wavering painfully.

At such thoughtfulness from her, I returned a smile.

“If I were living alone, a cheap inn would have been enough.”

“Eh?”

“I could even have lived under a bridge.”

“No… Master is—”

Liricia was bewildered by my sudden words.

I kept speaking without losing my smile.

“But then Marius betrayed me, and I stopped being able to trust anyone, so I bought a slave. And then she turned out to be the most beautiful angel in the world.”

“Masta…”

“Even so, at first I still couldn’t trust completely. —But now it’s different. I was able to keep trying because Liricia was there. That’s why I want Liricia to be happy. If possible, I want to be the one who makes Liricia happy.”

“I’m already more than happy… Masta…”

“Thank you. But I want you to know this. By now, I think I could even accept it if Liricia betrayed me. If betraying me would make Liricia happy, then that would be better… That’s how much I want to cherish Liricia, and how much I want you to live without hardship… and how much I wish for your happiness.”

“Masta—!”

Liricia clung to me from the side. She rubbed her face into my chest.

Her silver hair swayed softly.

“Of course I want to become equals with someone as cute as you, Liricia, right? Let’s find a way to get someone to speak on our behalf.”

“Yes, Master! —I will support you with all my strength!”

“Thanks, Liricia. Come on, let’s head home and eat lunch too.”

Liricia and I walked back along the stone-paved road, pressed close together.

On the way, it occurred to me that Sophisia was connected to the Church, so if we asked her, she might be able to speak on our behalf.