Slave Girl, Rinrin Ringland

“Well, well—this is truly astonishing, isn’t it.”
“Indeed.”

My and Ekarraat’s voices overlapped.

There was such surprise that I couldn’t help but echo Ekarraat’s habitual phrase.

—The day after recruiting Windine in the A-Rank Dungeon【Blue Orchid Lake】.

The slave girl whose life was saved by Windine’s healing magic woke up the next day.

First we gave the girl food, then prepared a bath.

When I asked Ekarraat to wash her, she complained, “To have me play at being a maid—Sid has become quite important,” but she ended up taking care and washing her nonetheless.

And now—the girl, changed into clean clothes and with fresh sheets, sat demurely on the bed.

“You… aren’t of the Shikai Tribe…?”

“Brown skin, purple hair and eyes—undoubtedly of the Ragiu tribe, eh.”

When we bought her, the girl’s hair and skin were dirty, some illness seemed to afflict her, and her eyes were clouded.

I had thought her skin color was just sunburn and grime from outdoor work.

So I assumed she was of the same Shikai Tribe as me—but after washing away the dirt and seeing her true appearance, I finally realized my mistake.

“S-s-sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…! I’m sorry!”

Before the surprised me and Ekarraat, the slave girl curled up on the bed and pressed her forehead into the sheets as if begging for forgiveness.

Purple hair and eyes, and brown skin—the Ragiu, a minority tribe living in the southern continent.

She is of the same people as the hero party’s Assassin, Ruru Ginger.

“Ha ha, that cunning merchant fed me a lot of lies, ooh.”

“I’m sorry!”

The girl repeated her apologies.

She was probably apologizing primarily for being found out not to be of the Shikai Tribe.

“You don’t need to apologize. I was the one who made the mistake.”

“And—what shall we do, Sid? Return her to the seller?”

“I won’t do that—but first, I’ll remove the collar.”

Seeing the slave collar made me feel sick as it reminded me of my own time as a slave.

I reached out to touch the girl’s collar, but—

“No!!”

The girl covered the collar with both hands, trembling in fear.

“Please don’t throw me away… I’ll do anything! A-anything! So please, don’t, don’t throw me away…!”

“This little brat thinks Sid will abandon her. If you were to abandon her, she couldn’t survive. However— the master of a slave has the duty to guarantee the slave’s food, clothing, and shelter. One may not release a kept pet into the forest just because it doesn’t match one’s image, you know?”

“Really? That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”

I had slept in the inn’s stables, lived on scraps, and worn rags—did the Hero party truly guarantee my food, clothing, and shelter…?

“Anyway—I don’t intend to abandon her. I just thought the collar might be too tight.”

“It seems the little one doesn’t think so.”

“Sorry. It’s not that I plan to abandon you because you’re not of the Shikai Tribe. I just thought the collar wasn’t necessary. But if you want to keep wearing it, I won’t force you to remove it.”

Perhaps this child had already been a slave since she was old enough to be aware.

Knowing nothing but being a slave, she is afraid of not being a slave.

Like a tamed bird that chooses a secure cage over the open sky.

“R-really…? I’m not—of the Shikai Tribe… you know…”

“Even if you’re not of the Shikai Tribe, I intend to take care of any slave I buy until the end.”

“But I… I deceived you. When I was feverish… I actually still had the power to speak… and I could hear your conversation. I could have said I wasn’t of the Shikai Tribe and didn’t need help… but I… didn’t want to die… so I pretended I couldn’t speak…”

The girl confessed.

Knowing she was being misunderstood yet letting that misunderstanding remain could be said to be the same as deception.

But surely, even if I knew she wasn’t of the Shikai Tribe, seeing a girl before me who wished not to die, I would have looked for ways to help her just the same.

Because I, too—did not want to die.

Well—though I ended up dead.

“Besides, you’ve already seen Ekarraat and Shadows. We’re practically bound by fate now.”

“Indeed. Sid, who stubbornly hides the existence of me and the Shadows, has revealed us to you. You could say that’s a sign of trust.”

“Um… th-thank you… thanks to you… I’m alive, right…?”

“Yes.”

“Half of it is thanks to me, though.”

“I’ll do anything… So please don’t abandon me… I don’t want to go back there anymore…!”

The girl was still frightened.

Not because she’s afraid of me.

She’s afraid of being abandoned by me.

At least it’s certain she thinks being my slave is better than being with that slave trader.

“Alright. Then I’ll put you in charge of managing this mansion—but first you must fully recover. For now, eat and sleep; that’s your first order.”

“Y-yes!”

The girl’s face snapped up.

“I am Sid Ranorus.”

“I am Ekarraat Dread.”

“What’s your name…?”

“I-I’m… Rinrin, Rinrin Ringland.”

Thus, a new companion joins the Sid Ranorus estate.