Master and Slaves

"So the next one is Rina...."

"...Um, may I also become Master’s Dule?"

Rina, who had been staring at the floor, looked up with determination and made her request to me.

"...Why?"

"That’s... um... I fell for you, Hiroyuki-sama."

Rina’s eyes swam for an instant, but she answered me honestly.

"...That’s a lie, right."

"!! It’s not like that at all! I’m not thinking that way about Hiroyuki-sama...."

Rina desperately tried to explain to me.

"Miss Sara, what is the truth?"

"...."

Muriel asked Sara instead of Rina, but Sara kept swimming her eyes and said nothing.

"Miss Sara. Don’t hide anything from Master. We Dules cannot hide things from our Master. We don’t want to become Master’s Dule if you’re hiding things."

Muriel spoke in a polite but strict tone to Sara.

"!! ...Um, Rina... that’s... um... there’s someone I like... that person became my Dule... so I also want to become one... sorry, Rina...."

Sara explained the reason why she wanted Rina to become her Dule, after a moment of hesitation.

But it was wrong for Sara to say she wanted Rina to become her Dule while betraying her, and for Muriel to allow it...

Rina glared at Sara, then at Muriel.

"Master, I will betray them too if it’s for Master. I’ve done so until now, and I’ll do so in the future. I’m sure the other Dules will too. For us Dules, Master is everything. And that’s what Dules should be."

Muriel whispered, reading my feelings.

Then she explained to Rina.

"Miss Rina. Dules do not lie or hide things from our Master. That would be betraying Master. Miss Sara is telling you the truth because she understands that. Thank you, Miss Rina."

"Then... then I shouldn’t have lied from the beginning...."

Rina glared at Sara and muttered.

Rina wasn’t angry that the truth had come out; she was shocked that Sara had betrayed her.

"That’s... I didn’t think I would be sold to the same person as Miss Rina... Besides, it’s not normal to become a Dule while thinking about someone other than Master... so...."

Sara spoke in agony.

"But even so, I think it would be difficult for you, Miss Rina, after you become Master’s Dule. If Master finds out, he might get angry and kill you."

"!! ...I didn’t think that far...."

Sara was at a loss for words at Muriel’s words, turning pale.

"Well, Sara did it for Rina’s sake, right?"

"...Yes."

Rina nodded as if to say she’d forgive her for now.

"So, Rina, why do you want to become Master’s Dule? You said Sara’s favorite person became a Dule."

"Yes. As Miss Sara said, I have a boyfriend. The man who walked tightrope in the circus...."

"Ah, the man named Tim, right?"

"Yes, that’s right. Do you know him?"

"No, a guest today was talking about him."

"Um, what did he say?"

Rina pressed me curiously.

"Um, something like he wanted to see Tim’s tightrope walk."

"That’s right... that person is really skilled at tightrope walking. He can even stand on his head on the rope."

Rina explained with a dreamy voice.

"Ah, sorry."

"Heh heh, you really like him, don’t you."

"Y, yes...."

Rina’s face flushed red, but her expression suddenly darkened.

"But Tim got sold too... He was bought by a woman yesterday and made into her Dule on the spot... And... I’ll be old while he stays the same... That’s scary...."

Rina poured out her feelings.

It must have been an innocent girl’s heart wanting to grow old together with someone she liked.

It was touching that Rina was thinking of Tim even now.

"But even if Tim is freed, it doesn’t mean Rina will be freed immediately."

"That’s... well, that’s fine. Anything would be better than now."

"I see. I see. So, what do you all think?"

I looked around at everyone.

"I think it’s no good! Absolutely no good! Flirting is no good!"

Cathy answered first when I asked what everyone thought.

Flirting?

...I see. If a Dule likes someone other than her Master, it’s flirting.

"...What do you think, Muriel?"

"I also oppose it. A Dule thinking about a man other than Master...."

Muriel spat out the words as if disgusted.

I see.

Cathy and Muriel were judging based on emotions.

For a Dule, that might be correct.

"...What about you, Tiria?"

"I... don’t know."

"Tiria, you...."

"Miss Tiria, why...."

Muriel and Cathy were surprised by Tiria’s answer.

They must have thought Tiria would think the same as them.

"Um... when I became Master’s Dule, I didn’t like Master. Ah, of course, I didn’t hate him either. I was trying to like him...."

That made sense. She had been summoned and made a Dule immediately.

She couldn’t possibly have feelings for a stranger.

"But after becoming Master’s Dule, I fell in love with Master."

Tiria smiled while speaking.

"So even if I don’t like Master now, I think I’ll definitely like him if he makes me his Dule. Ilma-chan said the same thing...."

Then she looked directly into Rina’s eyes.

"But in that case, since there was no one you liked when you became Master’s Dule, it doesn’t make sense, does it?"

"Yes. That’s why I don’t understand."

Rina answered while looking down again when Cathy asked.

"And I don’t think it’s something you can just do without thinking."

I said that, and my Dules nodded.

The conversation gradually shifted in a different direction.

At first it was about whether it was really okay for me to make Rina my Dule, but now it had become a discussion about whether we should make Rina our Dule.

"...Well, I think it’s fine to make Rina my Dule. However, only if Rina is prepared to become my Dule. Ah, and one more condition: the other Dules must get along well with her. Of course, she must not harm the other Dules."

"Condition...?"

Rina tilted her head in confusion.

"Yeah. Get along with the other Dules. Of course, don’t harm them."

Muriel asked why.

"Mmm, Dules can’t harm their Master, right? But they can harm the other Dules... right?"

"Yes, that’s right. I can whip lower-ranking Dules for discipline. But I can’t whip Master, even if I’m afraid. Of course, I never would."

Muriel answered my vague words.

Ah, so a masochistic man couldn’t make a Dule and have her whip him.

Ah, I wouldn’t do that. I’m not that kind of pervert.

...This situation with half-naked slaves is plenty perverted, right.

"...Did something happen, Master?"

Cathy peered at my face with worry.

"Ah, no, nothing. Um, what was I saying... Ah, right. So, if you accept the condition, I think I can make you my Dule. Muriel, Cathy, what do you think?"

It sounded a bit condescending, but since I was the highest-ranking here, it was fine, right?

"If Master thinks so...."

"Me too. I would be happy if Master decides so."

"Yeah. So, Rina?"

"I... I want to become Master’s Dule. Of course, I won’t harm the other Dules."

"I understand. Then, finally, Rine... is sleeping...."

"Um, could you free this child?"

"Hm? Ah, of course. I was going to do that."

"Ah, that... um..."

"I know. She can stay with us until she can live on her own."

"Y, yes!"

She had been hesitating, so I said that.

Rina answered with a happy smile.

...But it looked like bad moral education with our current environment.

Also, even though I said that, how were we going to feed and clothe this large group?

The money we had now... was the debt from Helene...

Was it all right to use it...?

...

"Master, first, please replenish your mana."

I tried to make Sara and Rina my Dules immediately, but Muriel stopped me.

The Dule ceremony required a certain amount of mana.

But my mana was absolutely low right now.

That was why Muriel had stopped me.

But...?

"How do I replenish mana?"

"Use this child."

Muriel showed me Ilma.

"But we can’t use her yet. So... yes, let’s do the ceremony after we return to Helene’s mansion."

"Ah, I see. So, is that okay?"

"Y, yes. As long as I can become Master’s Dule."

"I don’t mind."

Sara and Rina answered.

Well then... um, there was something I had to do... ah, right!

"Muriel, is it okay to take out Ilma’s eggs now?"

"Ah, yes. Ilma, how is it?"

"I’ll do my best!"

Ilma answered vigorously.

"Then let’s prepare. Cathy, please borrow a chamber pot."

"Ah, yes. Understood."

Cathy answered and left the room.

"And...."

"Miss Sara, Miss Rina, Miss Rine, I’m sorry, but could you wait outside the room for now?"

Muriel relayed my hesitant words.

"Um, what are you going to do right now?"

"Mmm, it’s something you can’t bear to watch. I don’t want to show it to Ilma either. When Cathy returns, please come out with us, Tiria."

"Ah, yes. Understood."

Just as Muriel finished speaking, Cathy returned with a chamber pot.

"You were quick."

"Yes. The innkeeper brought it right away."

Cathy answered.

"Then please come out of the room with us, Cathy."

"Understood."

Cathy answered and left with Tiria, urging the reluctant Sara and Rine.

Rine was still asleep, held by Sara.

"Well then, let’s begin."