A Brief Period Of Peace

The slave girl, now renamed Rinrin Ringland, was appointed to manage the mansion and take care of daily chores for Ekarraat and me.

By the way, the Ragiu people have a custom of repeating the same sound twice in names, and those close to them apparently call them without the repetition, so Ekarraat and I decided to call her “Rin.”

“(Maybe among the Hero party there’s someone close enough to call Ruru just ‘Ru’…)”

Rin had served multiple masters as a slave and, in the end, it seems she was sold again to a slave trader.

Perhaps because of that, she already possessed the usual skills—cleaning, laundry, cooking—and she was a hard worker.

“Master, I’ve brewed coffee. For Lady Ekarraat, tea.”

“Mm, that’s fine, Rin.”

“Thanks… But why the maid outfit?”

“It’s my whim. Isn’t she cute?”

Rin was wearing a maid outfit at Ekarraat’s instruction.

It’s the standard black-and-white maid dress you might see in a noble’s mansion, though the skirt did feel a bit too short.

The black long coat was also Ekarraat’s choice; this vampire might be enjoying dressing other people up.

“M-Master, does it suit me? I hope it’s not an eyesore…”

“Well, it suits you.”

“R-really…? Hehe… Thank you!”

Rin smiled shyly, scampered off, and began working in the garden.

I watched Rin through the window while sipping my coffee.

Flowers and herbs had been planted in the flowerbeds, and the once bleak mansion had improved somewhat—enough, at least, that you wouldn’t call it a haunted house anymore.

“My, she has changed so much. A delicate maiden like a flower. Not as much as I, of course.”

Fed properly and living in a hygienic environment, Rin had transformed into a strikingly beautiful girl.

Many of the Ragiu have well-formed features, and if one doesn’t mind the difference in skin tone, they tend to be liked even by typical kingdom folk with pale skin.

Because of this, it’s common for them to go out to work as prostitutes… or for children to be sold as slaves.

“Feels like cracking open a trinket bought on a whim and finding a gem. To sell her for only 2 million G—that slave trader had no eye for value.”

“You sure put up a lot of resistance when I tried to buy Rin.”

We traded barbs while sipping coffee.

“Sid, do you really think that mud tastes good?”

“At least I prefer it to tea.”

“It seems the sense of taste out of the five senses hasn’t returned.”

Ekarraat, sitting next to me, drank the tea Rin made and watched her as well.

I’ve taken to luxuries since becoming a Shadow Necromancer, but whereas I’m a coffee person, Ekarraat prefers tea.

“So—Rin has been here for two weeks now. How do you find it?”

“How as in, what do you mean?”

“Just as it sounds.”

“Well—I think it was good to have helped her. True, Rin is not of the Shikai Tribe, but that didn’t matter.”

Admittedly, when I first learned Rin was Ragiu and not of the Shikai Tribe, I wouldn’t be honest if I said I wasn’t disappointed.

But after keeping Rin close, I realized what I truly wanted wasn’t someone of my own kind.

Rin worked hard, happily tended the garden, and when I tasted her cooking and said “delicious,” she smiled contentedly.

Rin, too, ate a variety of things, slept in a soft bed, lived with people she could call companions, and slowly healed the wounds etched into her heart.

Watching that, I realized—through her—that the happiness I truly wanted looked like this.

“I’m already a corpse—Undead. I cannot live as an ordinary human. But when a child who was a slave like me seems happy… I too can feel a bit of happiness. I feel my stopped heart grow warm.”

“What’s this wallowing in sentimentality… Saying something gross, hey.”

“You’re the one who asked…!”

Ekarraat laughed, a tinkling sound.

Since Rin arrived, Ekarraat has also seemed oddly cheerful.

She used to oppose buying slaves and demanded reasons to help Rin; it’s hard to believe she was once negative about her.

“Master, I’m going to do the shopping for dinner. Do you have any menu requests?”

Rin returned after finishing the garden work.

“Beef stew would be nice. Rin’s beef stew is exquisite.”

“Really? I’m glad you say that. I’m happy my experience as a slave in eateries can be put to use like this… Um, Master, how about you?”

“Beef stew works for me too. Shall I come along to the market?”

“No! I can handle it by myself!”

Rin went shopping while still in her maid outfit.

The slave collar was still wrapped around her neck.

I want to take it off for her, but Rin stubbornly refuses.

“Well, if that’s what she wants, then it doesn’t matter.”

When I judge that wound to be fully healed someday, I’ll ask her again.

I died before obtaining the ordinary happiness I desired, became Undead, and turned into a vengeance-obsessed monster.

Instead, by having her enjoy the happiness I sought, I seek salvation indirectly.

And when the slave collar is finally removed from her neck, perhaps I’ll be truly saved.

“That’s why I helped her.”

“You say that now, after the fact.”

＊＊＊

――One month has passed since Rin came to the mansion.

Rin was truly skilful and could do almost anything.

I still spent my days leveling and gathering Magic Stones in dungeons, but Rin, who knew sewing, repaired the long coats torn in battle.

Until now, whenever a long coat got wrecked I would buy a new one, but the coats I had kept were neatly mended, and now the mansion’s closet held three long coats of similar design.

If an outsider saw the closet, they’d think I’m obsessed with long coats (though in reality it’s Ekarraat’s taste).

The flowers planted in the beds began to bloom here and there, and the herbs had grown enough to harvest.

It was a very peaceful month.

However—there are still things left to do before I can truly be at peace.

“Master, I’ve brought the morning paper.”

“Thank you.”

Rin brought the newspaper along with the morning coffee.

Seeing the headline on the front page, I stopped the coffee cup I was about to raise to my lips.

――The Hero party finally challenges the complete conquest of the S-Rank Dungeon 【Crimson Night Moon】!

――The Hero party “Azure Blade,” led by His Highness Sylvan Lengnard, the Second Prince, answered in an interview with reporters that they have decided to aim for the complete conquest of the S-Rank Dungeon 【Crimson Night Moon】.

――Up until now they had cautiously stopped their conquest at the 20th floor, but signs of the first-ever human conquest of an S-Rank Dungeon have appeared, raising public expectations for the hero party.

――The royal court and the Holy Church are also generous in their support for the Hero party, and it is said to be almost certain that Crimson Night Moon will be fully conquered on the next expedition.

“The Hero party…”

Until I kill those bastards, true peace will not come to me.

But—I have been waiting for this day.

For the hero party to descend into the S-Rank Dungeon 【Crimson Night Moon】.

Inside the dungeon there would be no worry of being seen by witnesses, and above all I knew that dungeon’s structure better than anyone—I had mapped it during my slave days.

I had long decided to carry out my revenge when they ventured into Crimson Night Moon.

For that reason, when I recruited Vanargand I left the Dungeon Core uncollected and the dungeon uncleared.

“Wait and see… you scum.”

With a crushing motion, the photograph of the Hero party printed on the paper crumpled in my hand.

As if to foreshadow their future.