Master and Slaves

[A/N: Start of a new saga!]

"Helene! I’ll handle the three on the right! Tiria, protect Cathy! I’ll take this side!"

I gave the order to Helene and Tiria.

"Understood, Master-sama!"

Tiria drew the short sword from the sheath on her thigh, took a stance, and sheltered Cathy with her body.

She entrusted the defense of the unarmed Cathy to the sword-wielding Tiria, while Helene and I charged the enemies.

The enemies were ten two-legged pig-like orcs and two hulking, ugly giant ogres.

They were arranged so that three orcs and nine in total (ogres and orcs combined) sandwiched us.

"I understand! I’ll lend a hand as soon as it’s over!"

"Leave it to me!"

Helene shouted to me, and I replied.

I drew Shiranui and held it with both hands, slashing at the nearest orc.

I slipped through the right flank of an orc swinging a thick wooden club from above, cut its right side, then returned the blade to sever the left leg of the orc behind it.

I deflected the iron staff of an oncoming ogre from below with Shiranui, reversed the blade, and sliced it in a diagonal cut.

"Master-sama!"

A killing intent came from behind, so I jumped left at the same time as Tiria’s voice, turned my body, and slashed from the right.

I bisected the orc into upper and lower halves.

That orc became a decoy. An ogre tried to pass on my left and an orc on my right, aiming for the back where Tiria and Cathy were.

But I wouldn’t let them escape.

I drew my blade back, thrust into the right flank of the orc trying to pass on my right, turned back, sliced the orc vertically, then swung Shiranui down from above the ogre trying to pass on my left.

There were three more.

I turned to face the orcs.

At that moment, Helene came to help and I heard her battle cry.

When the orcs saw two of us fighting together, they fled in a panic.

But if we let even one escape, it might cause trouble in the nearby village.

As a result, Helene cut down the orc that escaped to my left while I cut down the one that escaped to my right.

"Thank you. You helped, Helene."

I shook Shiranui to scatter the blood, sheathed it.

Helene also shook her own sword and sheathed it, then shrugged her shoulders while her abundant breasts swayed.

"What are you talking about, Sir Hiroyuki? I would have defeated them without your help either."

Helene looked around.

"While I was instantly killing three orcs, Sir Hiroyuki was instantly killing four orcs and two ogres."

Helene let out a sigh.

She seemed amazed.

"Master-sama~!"

Just when I was at a loss for words, Tiria threw herself into my arms from behind.

"Oh, Tiria. Are you hurt?"

"Yes. What about you, Master-sama?"

"Ah, I’m fine."

Tiria looked up at me as usual, her clothes in disarray.

Her face was flushed, but she wore an expression of relief.

"Thank goodness."

She clung to me again.

I felt her two swells pressing against my stomach.

"Um, um... Is it over?"

Cathy, whose face had gone pale, approached from behind Tiria.

Her steps were unsteady.

"Ah, it’s over. ...Cathy, are you okay?"

"Y-Yes. This is the first time I’ve experienced something like this. Ha, ha ha."

The terror of being attacked by monsters was still lingering in her voice. Her knees were trembling too.

Even in this world, ordinary people would find battle scenes like this too tough.

I gently hugged Cathy.

"It’s okay, it’s okay."

Then I stroked her head.

Cathy had stiffened for a moment, but soon relaxed.

"Yes... I’m fine now..."

Cathy raised her face from my arms, turned bright red, and stiffened again.

"Cathy?"

"...Ah, no, I-I’m fine."

When I released her, she hurriedly put some distance between us.

Had I been too hasty and scared her?

I was trying to reassure her, but I shouldn’t have done it so suddenly.

"Ah, sorry, Cathy."

"No... it’s fine."

She replied to my apology, but kept her head lowered.

That’s bad.

She must have thought I was mad at her.

Tiria was glaring at me sideways.

I’d have to give them both some support later...

...

We had left Torrestia on a request from the Kingdom of Torres Court Magician Mateus.

The purpose was to investigate the ruins near the autonomous city of Lübeck in the south.

The trip from the capital to the ruins would take about two weeks by foot.

Because Lübeck was ruled by merchants, the road between the capital and the city was busy with people, and there were many towns and villages along the way.

As a result, we could reach the next town or village and stay at an inn before sunset.

We didn’t have to camp out, and there were no random encounters with bandits or monsters, which are common in fantasy settings, so the journey was surprisingly comfortable.

However, just before reaching the village of Rade near the ruins where we would set up our base, we encountered a group of orcs and ogres.

It was an encounter battle that felt like an ambush.

Fortunately, no one on our side was injured, and we completely exterminated the enemies.

"Even if one escapes, it will cause trouble somewhere."

That was Helene’s comment.

After that, the four of us walked a little further and arrived at Rade village, the ruins investigation base, while the sun was still high.

...

"Helene-sama!"

When we arrived in the village, a man in his mid-twenties who happened to be passing by spoke to Helene.

He was limping because he had no left leg and was using a cane.

His face looked like a typical country boy.

"Tony-sama, long time no see."

"What’s wrong?"

"I wanted to continue the ruins investigation. I’d like to stay here for a while, but is the elder at the mansion?"

"I see. Understood. I’ll guide you."

The man called Tony by Helene was happily chatting with her.

However, his gaze kept darting toward Helene’s chest.

...Rather than "good-natured," it would be more accurate to say he was staring with wide eyes.

Well, it’s the sad nature of men.

I couldn’t say anything about other people either.

"By the way, who are these people?"

"Excuse me. This is Sir Hiroyuki Asahi, Master’s customer and the person who agreed to cooperate with the ruins investigation."

"Hey, Helene.

You didn’t even mention my name for a moment!

I sent her a reproachful look and then greeted Tony.

"I’m Hiroyuki. Nice to meet you."

"Ah, no, n-no, the pleasure is mine."

Tony stopped, hurriedly bowed his head.

Had I scared him?

I was carrying a big sword on my back.

My greeting might have been cold.

"If you’re a guest of Lord Mateus, are you a noble?"

Ah, so that’s what he meant.

"Ah, no, um..."

What should I say?

I looked to Helene for help.

"They are from a foreign land. I brought them because they are knowledgeable about this ruins."

Her explanation was flawless.

"I see. Then, um, who are the others?"

Tony looked at Tiria first, then Cathy.

"I am the personal maid of Sir Hiroyuki. My name is Cathy."

Cathy spread her skirt gracefully with both hands, curtsied, and bowed.

"Ah, no, thank you very much."

Tony bowed again.

"Um, then shall we go?"

After raising his head, Tony kept glancing at Tiria, but in the end he said nothing and began leading us to the elder’s house.

He probably thought there was no need to introduce a slave, but of course no man would be indifferent to a naked girl walking around.

...

The village was quiet.

Only a few men were out and about.

They were the man without a left arm, the man with an eyepatch over his right eye, and men who had been injured somewhere on their bodies.

They were all carrying hoes, scythes, or shovels.

Even Tony, who was guiding us to the elder’s house, held a scythe.

They must have been attacked by someone.

This was a scary place.

But the men we saw were all lazily staring with wide eyes.

No, "we" should be "Helene and Tiria."

"Wasn’t Lord Baldo here this time, or Lord Lloyd?"

Tony asked Helene.

Those names brought back memories.

Baldo was the vice commander of the Royal Guard Knights.

He was the person who helped me when I first came to the capital.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t seen him since the banquet.

When we left the capital, I thought I’d greet him, but we never met.

Lloyd was Tiria’s sword master and the one who escorted her to the treasure vault of Geizer’s castle.

He protected the treasure vault until the end and met a tragic death.

It had been nearly three weeks since then, but I still wondered if he was still on Tiria’s mind.

When I turned around to check, Tiria smiled back at me.

She seemed fine.

I faced forward again and followed Tony and Helene.

"Yes, we’re investigating by ourselves this time."

"I see... Um, excuse me, but does Sir Hiroyuki have good sword skills?"

Tony approached Helene and spoke in a lowered voice so I probably couldn’t hear, but I could hear every word.

"Yeah, I don’t know of anyone stronger than Sir Hiroyuki in our country."

Helene evaluated me like that.

No no, I’m not that strong.

I only won against Helene.

...I haven’t fought anyone else, though.

But even when I fought Geizer, I was in danger.

...In the end I won, though.

Hey, Geizer had the kingdom’s elite gather and they all lost, right?

So am I strong?

No no, probably because Geizer was in bad condition.

I’m not strong.

"You’re that strong?"

Tony, who really believed Helene’s words, looked at me with sparkling eyes.

Stop it!

I didn’t want men to look at me like that.

"Ah, here is the elder’s house."

It seemed we had reached our destination.

The house was more impressive than any of the ones we had seen on the way.

Still, it was a one-story wooden house with a handmade feel.

"Elder, I’ve brought guests!"

Tony knocked on the door and shouted at the top of his voice.

"Don’t shout so loudly!"

The person who came out was a man in his mid-60s with a straight back.

"Oh, it’s Lady Helene. What’s wrong?"

"Elder-sama, long time no see. I wanted to continue the ruins investigation."

It seemed this man was the elder of Rade village.

He was younger than I had expected, which surprised me.

"I see. Since it’s a brief chat, please come inside."

The elder guided us into the house.

"Elder, can I join the conversation too?"

"Would you like to, Lady Helene?"

The elder looked at Helene.

"It’s fine with me."

Helene answered.

Well, there was nothing we couldn’t hear anyway.

"Thank you."

Tony bowed to Helene and expressed his gratitude. We followed the elder into the house.

"Please sit here."

The room we were shown was the living room of the house.

I sat at the head of the six-person table, Cathy behind me, Helene standing beside me, and Tiria on the floor beside me.

The elder sat in front of me, a man in his mid-40s beside him, and Tony stood behind him.

"First, Lady Helene knows us, but there are others here, so let us introduce ourselves. I am Kurt, elder of this Rade village. This is my son Marc."

"Marc is the village chief. Nice to meet you."

The man sitting next to the elder bowed his head.

"The one standing behind is..."

"Oh, I already introduced myself."

"Oh, is that so? Then please introduce the others."

"Yes. This is Sir Hiroyuki Asahi, a guest of Lord Mateus and the person who agreed to cooperate with the ruins investigation this time."

"I’m Hiroyuki Asahi. Nice to meet you."

I bowed and greeted them.

"This is Cathy, Sir Hiroyuki’s maid."

"Nice to meet you. I’m Cathy."

Cathy bowed.

"As for the other... well, then let’s get to the main topic."

"Yes. As I mentioned earlier, I came to this village to continue last month’s ruins investigation."