Master and Slaves

"Ah, there was. We were at our limit too, so we refused. Helene said she refused as well."

True enough, Helene had her hands full with her own country alone, and no room to spare.

Even so, knowing that someone I knew had died because of it left me unable to sit still.

I closed my eyes and offered a silent prayer.

In that time, Muriel thanked Freit.

"I see... Thank you, Lord Freit."

"Hm. If we save another country and our own falls, that defeats the purpose. Even so, we cannot leave it alone. That is why she sent Lord Hiroyuki to me, I should think. This place is something like a fortress for the Torrestia Kingdom."

The first half Freit aimed at Muriel, the second half at me.

I opened my eyes and listened to Freit’s words.

Which meant I would have to fight that army of 200,000 monsters here.

Well, I had more or less expected that.

"Besides this city’s own guards, there are many mercenaries. The renowned Dragon’s Fang mercenary band is here as well. In numbers alone, there are ten thousand. There are also adventurers who can fight monsters and demonic beasts, so we have fighting strength gathered."

Freit did not say it to boast. He spoke plainly, as if to put us at ease.

That was probably because he had the confidence of having protected this city for these fifteen years.

"Then I will be among that fighting strength as well."

"Yes. I am counting on you."

When I said it lightly, Freit answered with a serious face.

True, the fate of this city hung on it, so they would want even a little more strength, but what I could do alone was limited.

Morale, maybe?

"Many of your Dules seem used to battle as well. Come to think of it, Lilli became Lord Hiroyuki’s Dule too."

Freit turned his eyes behind me again and looked over the Dules in order.

Then he brought his gaze back to me and asked that.

Lilli was not in this room now.

Come to think of it, Lilli had been introduced to me by Freit.

The other two as well...

"I did wrong by Kuno and Thomas."

I brought up the names of the other two Freit had introduced, Kuno and Thomas.

Kuno, Thomas, and Lilli had been introduced by Freit, and had guarded me when a curse kept me from using my strength.

And at that time, Kuno and Thomas had lost their lives.

"No. Danger comes with being an adventurer. Both of them were prepared, I should think. And I am told a priest of Urilmex performed the rites for that village. Both of them were surely called to the gods of the heavenly realm."

Saying that, Freit drew something like a holy sign in the air with his index finger, murmured something, and closed his eyes as if in prayer.

I closed my eyes too, and offered a silent prayer again.

...

When the prayer ended, Lotte, Freit’s A-Dule, brought another round of black tea to change the air of the room.

The new tea seemed to be herb tea, and a gentle scent tickled my nose.

Freit and I took a sip, and then Freit turned the talk to me.

"By the way, what will Lord Hiroyuki do from here? Ah, of course, I mean after this battle is over."

This man was already talking about after the victory, when we had not even fought.

Well, people like that were probably the ones who won.

"I haven’t decided yet."

As for me, I had not even decided tomorrow, let alone something that far ahead.

Had I always been this make-it-up-as-I-go sort?

I remembered nothing of the original world, and since coming to this one I had only followed what Marius and Helene decided.

Even if I was still in the palm of Helene’s hand, now that I had left her, I could be a little free... maybe.

"I think I’ll stay in this city for a while."

Well, for now, being in this city was fine.

"Hm. Then you will have to look for a house. And work as well. You will keep increasing your Dules, I suppose?"

Freit grinned.

...Would they increase?

No, would I increase them?

Either way, we would need a place to live.

We were such a large household. Staying as guests in Freit’s house forever did not sit right.

"You may stay here for a while, but I am busy holding this city together, so I do not have the time to entertain Lord Hiroyuki and your people forever."

Freit said it apologetically, as if he had read my mind.

"No, no. We’re a large household. I can’t impose on you. Only, I hope a good house turns up soon."

With this many Dules living together, we would need a large house.

But the money on hand was running thin, and above all, a house with so little demand should not turn up right away... or so I had thought.

"A few come to mind. I will have you shown around tomorrow."

...Apparently there were some.

Was demand so low that they were sitting empty?

"Hahaha. Surprised? Right now, many seem to think this city is falling into crisis. There are those fleeing the city. Foreign nobles in particular."

I must have looked surprised. Freit explained.

That foreign nobles owned houses in this city was a surprise too, but if they were something like villas, it made sense.

If this was a merchants’ city, most things could be had.

"While we are at it, I will have you shown around the city as well. Let me see. There was that young magician who brought Lord Hiroyuki here earlier. What was his name."

"Lord Azret."

Freit asked, and Lotte answered.

"Ah, yes. Young Azret. Lord Hiroyuki, how about it?"

I did not know for how long, but if we were to live in this city, it was better to know the city.

A guide was welcome.

"Yes. Please do."

"Understood. Lotte, go to the adventurers’ guild. Tomorrow... what time would suit you?"

"Uh, morning, if possible."

"Then ask young Azret to come to our house at the fifth bell."

The fifth bell was ten o’clock.

The bell rang five times, so that was what they called it.

"Adventurers are all weak in the morning. I made it a little late."

Freit smiled wryly.

Had there been some trouble in the past?

Even so...

"Do you use adventurers often, Freit?"

Fifteen years ago, and this time too. He seemed to have familiar faces, so I asked, thinking he used them often.

"Yes. They are convenient in all sorts of ways. Well, it depends on the quality of the adventurer. Each has strengths and weaknesses, so if you keep track of who is good at what work, they do the job better. Become a regular, and they will make allowances in all sorts of ways."

Freit was a merchant too, so he probably used them for caravan escorts, and for procuring goods and materials.

"Ah, yes. Why not register with the adventurers’ guild yourself, Lord Hiroyuki? It will earn you pocket money."

"The adventurers’ guild?"

When I had done something like an adventurer’s job in Torrestia, a place like a tavern had the owner arranging work. Was that the adventurers’ guild?

But I had not registered, and it had not felt like a guild.

"Yes. All sorts of work can be had. From a small errand to slaying a dragon. Ah, come to think of it, there was a rumor a demon dragon had appeared. How about it? Lord Hiroyuki could defeat it, could you not? Defeat it, and it is a fortune in one stroke."

A dragon.

That caught my interest.

"That..."

𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Master."

Just as I leaned forward to ask for details, Muriel called to me.

"Muriel, what is it?"

I turned and asked Muriel, and she wore a stern face and whispered in my ear.

"A dragon will not do. No matter how strong you are, Master, you have no chance of winning."