Master and Slaves

"Understood. Then shall we go to dinner."

We followed the maid to the dining room.

Inside the dining room, Helene and her son Julius, as well as the knights we had breakfast with, were seated at the table.

Of course Giacomo was also seated, and when he spotted me he grinned broadly.

Being grinned at by a man felt a bit off, but I smiled back for the time being.

My cheeks might have been twitching a little...

"Hiroyuki-sama, this way please. The Dules over here."

Only I was guided to Helene and the others’ table, and the Dules were seated at a separate table.

Oh, then I couldn’t feed Cathy.

"Ah— so today it’s a different table from the Dules."

"Yes. After all, I thought sharing the same table as the Dules would be questionable."

I asked Helene, but Helene answered while looking toward Marcel.

I see, so it was that guy’s doing.

Can’t be helped; I’ll stay quiet.

I took the guided seat next to Julius.

It was the seat Helene had sat in at breakfast and lunch.

Helene sat in the seat Baldo had sat in, and Baldo sat next to her.

In the seat I had sat in sat Bernfried of the Cardilia Kingdom.

Well, it was seniority, and the guest side was the knights of the Cardilia Kingdom.

When I sat down, everyone stood up and bowed to me.

...Um, what’s going on?

Ah— I bowed as well for the time being, and everyone raised their faces.

"Then please take your seats."

When Julius sat and said that, everyone sat down.

I followed suit and sat as well.

Then the maids who had apparently been waiting by the wall began to move quietly.

And plates piled with lavish dishes were brought out.

Once a certain amount was assembled, wine glasses were brought and wine was poured.

"Hoh, how rare."

Bernfried muttered.

"Yes, it is something I received from Lord Freit. I thought it was appropriate for this occasion and had it prepared."

What did that mean.

Besides, come to think of it, was Freit doing well?

"Humu. That merchant? Is he still stubbornly holding out in Lübeck?"

"Yes. It seems he is holding off the fierce attacks of the Tres Kingdom army."

Julius answered Bernfried’s question.

"I see. He has held out for fifteen years. He must be quite a sharp one."

"Lübeck was probably never in their sights from the beginning. Kukuku."

Marcel spat venom with his usual smirking face.

"No, no, he is quite a formidable man."

Baldo took Freit’s side.

Come to think of it, had Baldo met Freit?

Since he seemed to have gone to Rade Village, it would not be strange if he had gone to Lübeck as well.

While that was going on, wine was poured into everyone’s glasses.

"Then, though it is presumptuous of me, I shall take the lead in the toast."

Julius stood up holding his wine glass.

Seeing that, everyone stood up holding their glasses.

Of course I followed suit as well.

"Then, glory to the Tres Kingdom and the Cardilia Kingdom."

"Glory."

Julius quietly raised his glass and spoke.

The others quietly repeated after him.

...It was just like a gathering of resistance fighters in a movie.

At least it was better that the magic lights were still bright.

After taking a sip, everyone sat down in good timing.

I also hurriedly sat in my chair.

"About what time will the others arrive here?"

Bastian asked Julius modestly.

"Lord Hein is heading this way while gathering his fellow disciples scattered throughout the various regions. In today’s communication magic he said he would arrive here around noon tomorrow. Priestess Broich is also heading this way together with the believers of Anirofe. I cannot say about what time she will arrive here."

Julius explained so that not only Bastian but everyone could hear.

Hein was Mateus’s disciple.

Priestess Broich was the person who had healed Cathy, Tiria, and me from stone.

"What is the priestess thinking. They might move as soon as tomorrow."

Bernfried muttered irritably.

"That is like her. She is probably taking a detour somewhere again."

Bastian covered for her.

"Hoh, Lord Bastian seems to have an interest in the priestess. Kukuku."

"Why would you conclude that?!"

"Oh my, did I hit the mark? Kukuku."

"Lord Marcel! I will get angry if you keep this up."

"Scary, scary. Kukuku."

Marcel teased Bastian and laughed unpleasantly.

There were guys like this at school too.

And they were generally disliked by everyone.

However, seeing Bastian go red in the face and snap at Marcel, it might not have been entirely unwelcome.

"Could you stop teasing this one around there."

As if unable to bear it, Baldo admonished Marcel.

That said, Baldo was also holding back a laugh.

"The others will also arrive tomorrow, it seems."

Julius also twitched his cheek and added to the explanation.

"Then we can begin joint training the day after tomorrow."

"What are you saying. We can start from tomorrow."

"No, they will come after a forced march. If we do not let them rest, morale cannot be maintained."

"Soft. The enemy will not wait."

While eating dinner, the debate grew heated.

The hot-blooded ones were Bernfried and Bastian.

The calm ones were Baldo and, unexpectedly, Giacomo.

Marcel only wore a smirking face and was quiet.

Helene and Julius occasionally nodded or tilted their heads while watching without offering opinions.

I also only listened without saying anything.

The debate grew heated, and the knights were throwing words at each other even forgetting to eat.

...

"Fuu. I’m tired."

On the corridor on the way back to my room, I ended up letting those words slip.

"Good work, Master."

Muriel, who was walking right behind me, offered words of appreciation.

When I looked back, all the Dules including Muriel were wearing bitter smiles.

"Still, I wonder how many hours dinner took."

Perhaps because I felt we shared the same thought, I ended up complaining.

"Um... four hours... yes."

Cathy answered while looking at a watch.

"...Thanks."

I thanked Cathy with a bitter smile.

"No, you’re welcome!"

Looking at Cathy answering happily, my bitter smile turned into a smile.

Ah, that’s right.

"Cathy, is your rear all right?"

"Yes. It still hurts, but since it is a mark Master gave me, I’m perfectly fine."

Cathy answered my question with a still-happy expression.

"Um, Master. About my punishment..."

Muriel asked me.

"Ah— still a secret."

"Au..."

Muriel’s shoulders dropped with a thud.

...Wouldn’t this itself become punishment?

"Well, something to look forward to later."

"Yes..."

When I said that while patting Muriel’s back, Muriel answered with her shoulders still dropped.

Was it all right for the top Dule to show the other Dules this kind of state?

While thinking that, I arrived at my room and opened the door.

Inside, the magic lights were left on, so it was still bright.

I went straight to the bed and collapsed just like that.

Ah, I’m tired.

"Um, Master, what will you do today?"

In place of Muriel, who was still in a gloomy state, Cathy asked me.

"What... ah, that’s right. What should I do."

"What" meant what to do about a partner for the night.

Today, the honest truth was that I was tired and just wanted to sleep.

However, Cathy’s question did not seem to include the option of no partner.

What should I do.

It was quite a luxurious worry.

Well, if I was going to do it, there were two choices.

One was Muriel’s punishment.

The other was...

"Tiria, what’s wrong?"

"..."

I spoke to Tiria, who was hanging her head.

But there was no reply.

"Tiria, Master is calling you."

"..."

Muriel, who had been dejected, grew impatient with Tiria not answering me and spoke to her.

However, there was no reply.

"Tiria!"

"Y-yes!"

Muriel raised her voice, and she finally answered.

"Tiria! Master is calling you."

"Y-yes, I-I’m sorry."

Tiria prostrated herself on the spot.

"No, you don’t have to go that far... what’s wrong?"

I asked Tiria.

Tiria had no energy.

She was only at our side while hanging her head with a severe expression.

She also apparently had not eaten much at dinner.

However, I knew the reason.

She had heard of her parents’ deaths and was in shock.

"Ah... u..."

Tiria tried to say something, but hesitated.

"...Haa. It’s fine. Today, together with me..."

Just as I was about to say let’s sleep, there was a knock at the door.

"Yes, coming."

Cathy ran to the door and opened it.

"Hiroyuki-sama, excuse me."

The one who pushed Cathy aside and entered was Helene wearing a robe.

"Lady Helene, this is a problem!"

Cathy followed behind Helene with a troubled expression.

"Hiroyuki-sama, I have an important matter to discuss. Could you have the Dules leave the room?"

Helene came in front of me leaning on her cane, looked around, and said that.

The Dules seemed a little angry.

Well, it was a bit forceful.

"It is an important matter."

Seeing my confused face, Helene said it once more as if emphasizing it.

"...Understood. Helene, is the next room empty?"

"Yes. Please use it freely."

"Ah. Muriel, take everyone and go to the next room."

"Master..."

"It’s fine."

I said that to the troubled Muriel and pushed her back.

Muriel left the room while looking back reluctantly.

The other Dules followed Muriel and left the room as well.

Sara, who left last, closed the door.

"Now then, that leaves just the two of us... so, what do you want?"