Master and Slaves

...Isn’t it really better to just go back like this?

"Over here."

The place Rina guided us to was a broken section of the wall a few minutes from the main gate.

The wall itself looked tall and sturdy, but the lower part had collapsed slightly.

However, it was impossible to enter or exit as it was, so a small hole had been dug in the ground.

"I dug this hole with Hera-chan. I couldn’t get out through the gate by myself, so..."

Rina stuck her tongue out.

Because of that, the hole was quite small.

It didn’t even look like me, Muriel, or Sara could fit through.

"What should we do? Should we tell the gate guards and get permission to enter?"

Muriel asked me.

"...No, I think it’s fine to just see Helma a little."

I proposed to Muriel and the others, or rather to Muriel.

I wanted to show Helma to Muriel.

I thought that, but if Helma was happy living with you, I’d leave her here and go back.

It would be much better than becoming my Dule, I believe.

I know it’s bad for Ilma, who wants to become my Dule, but that’s what I think.

Well, I haven’t actually seen her yet.

If she’s being treated badly, we should take her back.

I looked up at the wall.

The height was... about 4 meters.

I jumped as high as I could, holding Ilma.

"..."

I flew without difficulty.

No, I jumped too high.

I cleared the wall by a wide margin.

And I landed gracefully.

"Looks... okay...?"

"""""""..."""""""

The two Dules behind me and Sara’s three were all stunned.

Ilma, who was being held on Muriel’s chest, also opened her mouth in astonishment and looked up at me.

Only Tiria was the only one whose eyes sparkled as she looked at me.

"Um... what happened?"

"Ah, um, Master is... human... right?"

What did she mean?

In most fantasy worlds, this was supposed to be a default, wasn’t it?

"Ah, it’s a magic item, right? Maybe it’s shoes or something."

Muriel asked me.

"No, I’m not wearing any."

"...Master isn’t... half-human, right?"

Cathy asked next.

"I think I’m human."

"I think... you are..."

"Um... yeah, I think so, Tiria."

Tiria answered vaguely.

"Why do you ask Tiria...?"

Cathy muttered quietly.

"Well, we can get over the wall like this. Um... yeah... Cathy, Tiria, Rine, and Rina, can you go over the hole on the other side? Muriel and Sara, I’ll carry you over. Ilma, please have Muriel hold you."

I quickly thought of a way to cross at once and explained to everyone.

Then I carried Muriel holding Ilma and Sara and leaped over the wall.

"Kyaa!"

The moment I landed, a small scream came from that direction.

I looked that way and saw a girl with a face similar to Ilma’s, covering her mouth with her hand, staring at us.

Her height was probably about the same as Tiria’s.

Her black hair, which reminded me of young Muriel, was long, and a beautifully embroidered white dress suited her perfectly.

"H, Helma...?"

"Hera-chan!"

The moment Muriel hesitantly asked, Rina’s shout from the hole and Helma’s reply came at the same time.

"Rina?"

Helma turned toward the shouting Rina.

"Hera-chan!"

And as she called again, she ran toward the hole.

But suddenly she stopped and looked back at us.

"O, other... ma...ster...?"

"Helma!"

"Mom!"

Helma ran toward us.

I released Muriel from my arms.

Helma hugged Muriel tightly.

"Mom...."

"Helma...."

"Helma hurts."

"Hm?"

Helma was surprised by the sudden words and looked at Ilma in Muriel’s arms.

"Ilma? Is it Ilma?"

Ilma nodded vigorously at Helma’s question.

And then she looked at my face.

Ilma wanted to talk to me.

"Ilma, it’s okay to talk."

"Thank you, Master-sama."

When I gave permission, Ilma smiled happily and answered.

"Master... sa... ma...?"

Helma looked at me in surprise.

Her expression changed from shock to running straight toward me, lifting her skirt and prostrating herself on the spot.

"I-I’m sorry. My name is Helma. I should have greeted you first...."

"I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I should have made you greet Master-sama first."

"Master-sama, I’m sorry."

Helma and Muriel and Ilma all prostrated themselves like that.

Of course, Ilma looked like she was doing flexible exercises.

"It’s fine. More importantly, it’s been a long time. Why don’t we talk slowly? ...Yeah, I’ll wait at the inn. Everyone is fine with that, right?"

"That’s... we can’t. We have to introduce you to my grandmother..."

"That’s not it. I’ll guide you. This way."

Helma shook both hands and decided it wasn’t the time to talk here, then started walking toward the house.

"I understand. Let’s follow Helma first."

Muriel, still carrying Ilma, urged me to follow.

"...Hah. Yeah, I guess so. Ah, um, Helma, is that okay?"

"Y, yes."

Helma stopped and looked back at me hesitantly.

Her cheeks were strangely flushed red.

"Is it okay to have so many people?"

"Everyone is fine. My grandmother will prepare for it."

She smiled, then turned toward the house again, saying "this way."

...

"Over here, please."

The room we were guided to was probably the reception room.

When I entered, I saw a three-person sofa, a black table in front of it, and two single sofas on either side. At the center of the room was a heavy fireplace built into the wall.

Since it was still warm, there was no fire in it.

"It won’t be long until my grandmother comes, so please sit and wait."

Helma said that and poured red tea using a tea set the maid brought.

The maid was the one we met on the way to this house.

She was the one who called "grandmother" for Helma.

"I understand."

I answered Helma, then sat in the middle of the three-person sofa.

Immediately the other slaves moved to their own places.

"Excuse me, Master."

"Um, excuse me."

Sara sat on my right, Rina on my left, and Rine on the single sofa across from the table.

Muriel and Cathy were standing behind me, holding Ilma, and Tiria was kneeling at my feet.

"Helma!"

"Wow, it’s lively."

"Excuse me."

I stood up and greeted this woman.

"My name is Tzecilia. I work as a servant in this house. Nice to meet you."

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

Tzecilia, the woman named Tzecilia, shook hands with me across the table, then sat on the single sofa on the right.

Helma stood on her right.

"You have many Dules. But they look different from the ones over there and here."

"Yes, but we plan to make them Dules later."

"Is that so? You’re quite daring."

"Dar...ing?"

Noble...

"I mean, just a regular human."

"So... I see. ...You know, in the old days humans were divided into two groups. One was the noble type. Their souls were as large as those of demi-humans. But there were few of them. The other was the slave type. They were very numerous. Their souls were small. But it was almost the same as us ordinary humans. Then, over time, the noble and slave types mixed and became what we are now. Sometimes, children with large souls are born. They call them Ka-Ku-Sei-I-Den."

Tzecilia explained the old human types.

Come to think of it, I had heard something like that before.

It meant that people like Freit who had many Dules were descendants of the noble type.

"But no matter how many, the maximum is around five A-Dules at most."

Tzecilia raised her right hand and opened it.

So, five people, right?

"But you have To-Dules and Te-Dules in addition to A-Dules and B-Dules. How is that?"

Tzecilia’s eyes sharpened.

She was asking if I was not a regular human.

"..."

I couldn’t say anything.

I wasn’t hiding it; I just didn’t know.

What I knew was that the soul vessel I had was ridiculously large.

But I didn’t know why.

"...I see. You can’t say. I understand. ...Then let’s get to the main topic. You came here about Helma, right? So, what are you going to do with Helma?"

The gaze became even sharper than before.

"...I don’t know yet. I’m still thinking about it. ...Honestly, if Helma is happy living with you, I want to leave her here and go back."

When I answered, Muriel behind me shifted uncomfortably.

"Muriel, what is it?"

"...No, I’ll follow Master’s will."

She must have wanted to say something.

She swallowed it.

"It means you’ll leave it to Helma’s will. ...Haa, I’m sorry. You’re too indecisive."

Tzecilia’s sharp gaze softened and she gave Helma, standing beside her, a gentle smile.

Helma looked troubled.

"What about you?"

"I...."

"It’s fine. Don’t think about me. Tell me your own thoughts."

"I... I want to go with Master."

"Why?"

"Because I... am Master’s Dule. That won’t change."

"That’s all?"

"...Um... because Mom and Ilma are here...."

Helma tried to say something but closed her mouth, then finally answered with determination.

"So, that’s why you want a mother, huh."

Tzecilia spoke with a lonely smile.

"I like Grandmother! But...."

"It’s natural. But you aren’t just a Dule. You’re a special Te-Dule. Are you prepared for that?"

"Prepared as a Te-Dule, you mean?"