Master and Slaves

"What should I do after this?"

"...Um, what do you mean?"

"No, I’m like a guest here, so I wondered if it’s okay to stay here for free."

"Eh? Sir Hiroyuki defeated the Demon King, so from our perspective you are a life savior. Therefore, you’re not simply staying here for free."

"I see... so that’s how it is."

"Indeed."

Hm. So it’s okay to eat for free without waving my arms around or anything...

"Once the sun sets, how about going to the soldiers’ training ground? The main army hasn’t returned from the Demon Kingdom expedition, but the capital’s garrison and reserve units should be training."

The soldiers’ training ground.

"Hm? What do you mean by Demon Kingdom expedition?"

"We had a battle near the capital the day you arrived. Our army won, but some defeated remnants of the Demon Kingdom army scattered into our territory, so we sent them on a pursuit."

I see. So the random monster groups I saw in the wasteland were part of the Demon Kingdom army?

Well, having those things appear everywhere would be intolerable.

Still though...

"Hoho, I see. But Helene, you really know a lot."

"Ah, that’s because Mateus-sama is the Court Magician..."

"That’s part of it, but I was originally a knight."

"Eh?"

"I was originally a knight. It was rare. Female knights."

"I see..."

Surprising.

I never expected Helene to be a knight.

"Yes. Did it surprise you?"

"Yeah, it did."

"Fufu. By the way, would you like to fight me this afternoon?"

"Yes?"

"I would like to see the power of Sir Hiroyuki, who defeated Geizer. What do you say?"

No no, fighting a girl isn’t appealing at all.

"Mateus-sama said you could do as you please this afternoon. If you feel you’re lacking, please also ask Lord Baldo to join."

It’s starting to sound like I’m going to fight.

Ugh, I really don’t feel like it.

Fighting a girl...

I think I’ve had enough of fighting for a while.

"Um, I wanted to go shopping in the afternoon, but..."

"Shopping...?"

"Yeah."

When I turned around, there was Tiria, but with a completely different mood.

And there was a rope around her neck, the other end held by me.

"Are there slave collars for To-Dules?"

I asked quietly in front of her.

Helene must have heard.

"It’s not a slave collar, but there are collars available in the town. They’re sold at shops in the castle town."

"Oh, really?"

"Fufu~ Then you’re going to buy one for Tiria~?"

Helene teased.

"Ah, tying a rope around the neck isn’t really good, right?"

When I turned around, Tiria’s eyes sparkled exactly the opposite of before as she looked at my face.

Her expression changed every moment.

It was... adorable.

"Well, yeah. ...Ah, but do you have any money?"

"Ah..."

Right. I had no money at all right now.

"Ugh."

I let out a big sigh and drooped.

"Yeah. Then I guess you’ll have to fight me."

"I can’t shop and there’s nothing else to do."

I guess I have no choice.

"Then if Sir Hiroyuki wins, I’ll give you money for the collar."

"...So that means you’re betting?"

"Yes, that’s right."

"Then if I lose?"

"Hmm... ...Today, may I have all the magic-enhanced items you gave to Mateus-sama?"

Ah, the ones I found in the Demon Lord’s treasury.

"Ah, that’s fine with me."

They were just things I brought for free anyway.

Hm? Maybe I should just sell them.

"Alright."

Whoa, Helene is super excited.

Nngh, it’s hard to back out now.

Whatever.

"But Helene has money, huh."

"Yes. I receive pocket money from Master."

"I see."

Hmm, another surprise.

I thought Dules didn’t have money because they’re slaves.

After saying that, we arrived right in front of my room.

"Then, once lunch is finished, I will come to pick you up."

"Got it. See you later."

"Yes. Excuse me."

Helene bowed politely — different from just now — and left.

Her massive breasts were still jiggling.

I watched Helene leave, opened the door, and entered the room.

"Welcome back, Sir Hiroyuki."

Cathy welcomed me with a greeting.

The table in the back had more luxurious food than breakfast.

"Lunch is ready, so please eat."

"Thank you. Oh, this is amazing."

I washed my hands with the water Cathy poured into the tub.

Then lunch.

Cathy stood beside me and served me.

Tiria ate in her usual position at my feet.

...What kind of person am I?

The savior of the nation...?

"Ah, right. Cathy, I’m going out for a bit this afternoon, so please take care of things."

I ate torn bread and talked to Cathy.

"Where are you going?"

"...To fight Helene?"

"????"

Cathy answered with a question mark.

I could see three question marks floating above her head.

I didn’t know either, so I couldn’t explain.

I moistened my dry mouth with water.

"Well, anyway, I’ll be with Helene."

"Haa. That’s fine with me."

She wasn’t convinced, but if it was with Helene, it was okay.

While refilling my glass with water, Cathy replied like that.

While we were talking, lunch was finished. Tiria had also eaten, and I heard a knock at the door.

"Yes, coming."

Cathy opened the door and there was Helene.

"Ah, please come in. Early... huh..."

When Helene entered the room, I was stunned.

Since it was supposed to be a fight, she should be wearing armor.

But when I saw the armor, I was surprised.

There was no plate armor on the chest part.

In other words, her breasts were still fully exposed.

"Hey, isn’t that armor not fulfilling its purpose?"

I couldn’t help but comment.

Helene’s armor didn’t protect her weak point, her chest.

If someone stabbed her there, it would reach her heart easily.

Armor usually deflects weapons, but most is made to slide off.

Helene’s armor was different — if someone slid a sword off, it would cut off her breasts.

Especially since she had huge breasts...

She wasn’t protecting her weak point.

Meaning the armor wasn’t fulfilling its purpose.

"It’s fine. Actually, this is a magic-enhanced item. Only the chest part is protected by a magic defensive wall."

She puffed out her chest as she said that.

Her enormous breasts bounced.

"Why only the chest..."

"We didn’t have enough magical power to protect everything with this jewel."

Helene poked the red, transparent gem in the valley between her breasts.

"Hoh. There are things like that."

A magic power crystal, maybe.

"Sir Hiroyuki, please prepare soon."

Helene urged me.

"Okay. Then let’s go."

"Eh? You’re not wearing armor?"

Helene pointed at the armor placed in the corner of the room.

"Ah, I can’t use that. The back plate is missing."

"Is that so? Then let’s go."

Helene seemed pretty energetic.

"What about Tiria?"

"Um, I want to go too."

Yeah. If it ends early, I can go shopping after.

"Then let’s go."

"Yes."

Helene and Tiria’s answers harmonized nicely.

"Cathy, I’m leaving."

"Have a good day, Sir Hiroyuki."

I left the room with Helene leading and Tiria following.

"By the way, where is that training ground?"

"It’s on the outer training field."

"Training field?"

"Yes. It’s the enclosed area surrounded by the city wall. This castle is surrounded by four city walls. The training field is between the second and third walls."

"Hoo, I see. ...Hmm, the first enclosed area is for the royal residence and temporary noble refuge, the second is for civil servants’ work and guest reception — temporary commoner refuge, the third is for barracks and the main battlefield, and the fourth... I don’t know. Maybe a defensive position to reduce enemy numbers?"

"......"

Helene stopped and turned around.

She narrowed her eyes, looking at me as if she was probing my thoughts.

"But I don’t understand. If there’s a well in the second area, it wouldn’t make sense for the outermost wall to be the last defense for the royal family."

"...Why do you think that?"

"Siege battles always have water, right? Having a well outside the wall means... there’s probably one inside too. But if someone poisoned the outside well, it would be over. So maybe there’s a water tank inside. A big one."

"...I’m sorry, but I can’t answer that."

Helene walked forward as she said that.

"Yeah. A civilian like me can’t talk about strategic water."

"It’s fine. I was just curious."

"...Sir Hiroyuki... No, never mind."

"Hm? What? You can tell me if you want."

"No. ...Well, we’re almost there."

Helene answered in a choppy way, then suddenly brightened her tone as if changing the subject.

We passed through the castle gate and walked right along the city wall.

Loud voices and clashing swords grew louder.

"Here it is."

We passed through the gate at the back and found hundreds of soldiers training inside.

"Hoh, there are so many — it’s impressive."

Dozens of people were shooting arrows at straw targets.

A soldier who seemed like an officer shouted commands, and they all released arrows at once. Most of them flew high into the air and landed on the targets.

"Not bad at all."

"Sir Hiroyuki, do you do this too?"

"N-No, I’m fine. I’ll pass."

I shot archery in PE in second year of university and was terrible at it.

No, I was better than most of my classmates, but compared to the club members, it was just play.

I shot at 50 meters at the end but didn’t hit the target, and 70 meters was way too far.

Here, 100 meters is probably the limit.

It was impossible to reach that far.

So, ignoring the archers, I went deeper into the training ground.

In the back, soldiers in armor far more splendid than the archers were fighting with swords and spears.

Was this a mock battle?

But their skill and morale were worse than the archers.

The archers looked pitiful by comparison.

"What’s this? This isn’t the place for slaves."

The man at the very back, in even more splendid armor, stood with his hands on his hips and glared at the training soldiers while mocking them.

"Yes, actually I came to do a little mock battle. I am Lady Higgingfeld."

Helene knelt on one knee and bowed her head.

I thought about doing the same, but I hadn’t bowed to the king, so I stayed standing.

"What are you? Who are you?"

"This person... is Master’s guest."

"...Is this Mateus-sama’s?"

"I am Hiroyuki Asahi. Nice to meet you."

"Hmph, so you want to fight this slave?"

I had extended my right hand for a handshake, but this guy didn’t even take it or introduce himself.

Sigh. Whatever. Such types exist everywhere.

"...Ah, right."

"Kukuku. You don’t have the arms for a sword."

Nngh, I think you’re stronger than you look.

"Well, it’s for your entertainment. By the way, do you not have mock battle swords?"

"We don’t have training daggers either."

A soldier next to "My Lord" started picking a fight.

What kind of group is this?

I got irritated.

"Excuse me, could you lend me two training swords?"

Helene bowed and asked humbly.

Did she have to lower her waist that much?

"...Use these."

The swords the "My Lord" had his subordinate bring were real swords, not training ones.

They were bastard swords, usable with one or two hands.

"Real swords are better for practice, right?"

A chorus of vulgar laughter echoed around us.

"Then let’s do it. Tiria, watch from over there."

I stroked Tiria’s head, passed her the rope, and made sure she was far enough away from any danger.

I assumed a stance with a real sword.

They were surprisingly light.

I didn’t think they were lighter than the swords I inspected in the Demon Lord’s treasury.

Why was that?

The soldiers said these were real swords, so they should be used in actual war.

"Um, is it really okay?"

At Helene’s question, I came back to my senses and answered.

"Hm? Ah, let’s try it for real. If it looks dangerous, I’ll tap out."

"Tap... out...?"

"Ah, yield."

"Yes. Understood."

Helene also took a real sword, stepped back a little, and faced me. We both bowed and greeted each other.

"Then let’s begin. Haaa!"