Rinrin Goes On An Errand To The Royal Capital

Rinrin Ringland――the slave girl called Rin――was walking down the main street of the royal capital in her usual maid outfit.

Representing Sid’s group, who lived in a cabin built in a forest inhabited by goblins, Rin had been chosen to do the shopping for daily necessities and food.

‘I-is it really going to be okay…?’

At present Sid had committed the grave crime of killing a prince and was wanted nationwide.

And there was also information circulating that Sid kept a Ragiu tribesgirl as a slave.

If it were discovered that Rin was Sid’s slave, it wouldn’t end well.

‘…!?’

With a fearful tremble—Rin kept her face down as she walked when a pair of the capital’s guards walked toward her from the front.

‘(Th-that’s right… I can’t be trembling… Stand proudly, that’s what Lady Ekarraat told me.)’

Rin recalled Ekarraat’s advice, lifted her lowered face, and walked facing forward.

The guards, likely on patrol, glanced at Rin but didn’t seem particularly concerned and passed by.

‘Phew…thank goodness… Lady Ekarraat really was right.’

Rin breathed a sigh of relief and remembered Ekarraat’s words.

Sid’s face and full name were known, and above all he was the one who killed a member of the royal family.

Wanted posters were posted all over the capital, and a bounty of 10,000,000 G had even been placed on him.

There was no doubt that Palace soldiers and the Holy Knights of the church were desperately searching for him.

But Rin’s name and face had not been exposed.

There was only information――that he kept a Ragiu tribesgirl as a slave.

Moreover, the royal capital was the most populous city on the continent and had the largest slave population.

Young Ragiu slaves could be found in abundance if you searched the capital.

Ekarraat’s strategy—‘hide a tree in a forest, hide a person in a city’—had worked perfectly.

In fact, sparsely populated rural villages were more likely to spot an outsider immediately.

‘(No one would think that their master’s slave would be walking proudly through the capital.)’

To add to Ekarraat’s plan, Rin wore a well-made, high-quality maid outfit tailored to her taste; she looked healthy and had neat features.

Anyone familiar with slave situations would assume Rin was the property of a noble――or at least a wealthy household.

And not merely a household servant—she looked like a pet slave cherished by her master.

In that case, the guards would be reluctant to rough her up or press her aggressively about her identity.

If it became known that they’d assaulted a noble’s favorite slave, the worst-case scenario could be the guard losing his head.

Ekarraat’s plan of ‘don’t touch the gods and you won’t be cursed—don’t touch this slave and you won’t get in trouble’ had also succeeded brilliantly.

‘Rin—you are incredibly lovely—well, not as much as I am. Therefore walk proudly! Make those around you think you are a highly valuable, expensive slave!’

That was Ekarraat’s counsel.

‘(I-I could never think I’m such a valuable slave…)’

Rin had been anxious up until just before she left, but Sid also gave her encouragement—

‘Ah—I’m not used to saying things like this to someone, but… Rin, you’re cute. Have some confidence.’

――With that push, Rin accepted the important task of infiltrating the capital.

‘(M-Master… called me c-cute… h-he said it… eheh.)’

Rin recalled Sid’s words and her cheeks softened.

Sid had saved her when she was near death and had been the kindest master she had ever served.

Moreover, he was an older man, tall and handsome—it’s no wonder Rin couldn’t help but feel affection for him.

‘A-alright! Then I have to finish the shopping before the sun sets!’

Rin slapped her cheeks twice—‘pan pan’—to psych herself up and promptly moved toward the shopping district.

＊＊＊

—A few hours later.

Rin, having hopped between several shops and successfully bought everything she needed, walked down the main street carrying a large paper bag.

‘Flowers and vegetable seeds for the flowerbed, and herb seedlings――ingredients: beef and red wine and fresh vegetables, and I even got spices, so I should be able to make Master’s favorite beef stew. Also durable food supplies, and most importantly the apple Lady Ekarraat asked for――okay, I have everything.’

She had purchased quite a lot, so the paper bag Rin carried was large enough that the petite Rin couldn’t see in front of her.

“Kya!?”

――That was the problem.

With her view blocked, Rin collided with a passerby walking toward her and fell on her backside.

Rin couldn’t help but drop the paper bag—the spilled apples rolled along the street.

“I’m so sorry… I wasn’t watching where I was going…!”

“Owwww—it huuurts! Oh, that’s definitely broken… This is way too painful… How are you going to take responsibility for this, miss? Huh?”

Rin hurriedly voiced her apologies.

But she had run into the wrong person.

A burly man with a rough-looking face clutched his struck arm theatrically and scolded Rin.

“Hey, we’re gonna need you to pay some compensation for this, okay?”

“Yeah――absolutely. You gotta take responsibility properly, y’know?”

“Eek…!?”

The man who had collided with Rin had accomplices.

The two crooks grabbed Rin’s slender arms and forced her up, then dragged her from the main street into a deserted alley.

“There shouldn’t be anyone here, right?”

“Hehe, so little miss, how about paying that compensation?”

Sandwiched between tall buildings, Rin was brought to the dead end of a dim, damp back alley.

‘(Master gave me extra money, so I could pay these men enough to satisfy them. But that’s Master’s money… I can’t hand it over to scoundrels like these!)’

She trembled with fear and couldn’t stop shaking.

Even so, Rin rallied herself and faced the thugs with a resolute attitude.

“I don’t have any money for you! I apologize for bumping into you! B-but! Saying my bones are broken is absolutely a lie! P-please leave!!”

“Whaaa!? The slave talks back real cheeky, doesn’t she!?”

“She was carrying that huge amount of shopping. She’s holding her master’s wallet, right!? Hand that over and you won’t get hurt, I’m tellin’ ya!”

“Kya!?”

One of the thugs pinned Rin’s neck against the wall with one arm so she couldn’t escape—and with his other hand he drew a knife from his pocket.

He raised the knife and poised to strike Rin—just before that, the shadow at Rin’s feet trembled slightly, and then――

“Hey you two—what are you planning to do to that cute kitten? Mind if I join in—okay?”