Master and Slaves

"So I’ll leave it here," Sophia said.

That was right.

My contract with Sophia ended when my curse was dispelled.

"Ah, yes."

"So let’s part here."

"Ah. Thank you."

I extended my right hand toward Sophia.

Sophia stared at my hand for a long moment, then took it and shook it firmly.

"I’ll follow human custom just this once."

Aha, that was Sophia.

"Hiroyuki, farewell."

"Ah, see you later."

"...Again later."

Sophia turned and ran into the forest.

"Ah, she didn’t even look our way."

Cathy muttered, and Tiria nodded.

"At least I thought we could say goodbye to Muriel-san. Don’t you think? ...Muriel-san, what happened?"

"Hm? Ah, yeah."

Cathy spoke to Muriel, but Muriel looked distant.

I see.

"Muriel was here until the end, too."

I took off the ring on my left hand, dropped it on the ground, and stomped it flat with my foot.

The ring shattered into pieces, and Muriel’s forehead glowed for an instant before fading.

"Ah...."

A small voice escaped Muriel’s lips, and tears spilled from her eyes.

"W-wait. What’s wrong with you, Muriel?"

"You’re happy because you’ve been freed from slavery, right?"

Cathy supported her.

No matter the reason, a former knight had been reduced to a slave. It had been a terrible humiliation.

Being freed from that must have felt like the greatest joy in the world.

"No, I’m sorry. I’m fine now."

Muriel let Cathy hold her for a while, then gently pushed her away and asked me with determination in her eyes.

"Hiroyuki-sama, may I speak with you alone for a moment?"

"Eh? Well...."

I was stunned and glanced at Cathy and the others.

"...Master, we’ll head back to the village first. Is that all right?"

Cathy asked for permission, looking a little lonely?

"Ah, ah. Yes, sure."

I answered Cathy.

"We’ll go to the village ahead, too."

"Um, please look after Cathy and the others."

"Yes. Then we’ll be going."

Cathy, Tiria, Quono, Thomas, and Lilli walked toward the village.

"That big sister... I wonder what she’s going to do. Is she going to confess?"

Lilli’s loud voice echoed in the distance.

Muriel’s face turned red.

...Lilli needed to read the air a little more.

...

"Well, what is it?"

"Um, uh, that... yes."

Muriel stammered.

Aha, this really did feel like a confession.

"Let’s calm down first. Here, take a deep breath."

I took a long, deep breath and Muriel copied me.

"How is it? Feeling calmer?"

"Ah, ah. ...Good. Hiroyuki-sama, I want you to make me your Dule."

"Ah, then... wait?"

"I spent many days as a slave, humiliated as a Ze-Dule. My knightly pride was defiled; I was treated worse than an animal, and I was denied even the freedom to die. But after meeting you, everything changed. You bought me with gold, yet freed me immediately. I thought what a kind-hearted person you were. I also envied the love Cathy and Tiria receive and wanted to be at your side—not just as a knight, but as a woman."

Tears welled up in Muriel’s eyes again.

"The tears just now weren’t because I was freed. It was because I was no longer your Dule and our bond was severed. That’s why I realized...."

Her moist eyes looked straight at me.

"Muriel...."

Isn’t an ordinary relationship fine?

Couldn’t we take a little more time?

I was about to say that when a memory flashed through my mind.

What if I hesitated now and something happened again...?

I didn’t think it would happen that often.

But an obsessive thought drove me forward.

"Muriel, are you really sure?"

"Ah, it’s fine."

I... wait?

Come to think of it... I didn’t know the method of turning someone into a Dule.

Aha, I hadn’t been taught that yet.

"...What about Cathy and Tiria? How did they...?"

"Tiria did it herself. Cathy... it just happened. I don’t remember the exact moment."

"...Pfft, hehe... I see. Then I’ll teach you."

Muriel stared in shock, then suddenly burst out laughing.

She unfastened her chest plate armor and, blushing, opened her armor underneath to expose her chest.

Her breasts spilled out—giant in size, even larger than Helene’s.

"P-please put your hand here?"

I placed my right hand on her left breast where she pointed.

"Then, please listen to my name. Then ask me if I want to become your Dule. If I answer yes, the light of my soul will appear. Capture it with your mana."

My soul?

You can do that?

"Ah, got it. But what words should I use?"

"The words I just said are fine. It’s like a vow."

"Understood. ...Ahem. Then please tell me your name."

"My name is Muriel von Febel."

"Will you become my... A-Dule?"

It sounded almost like a wedding.

"Yes, I will."

Muriel answered, and the spot where my hand rested glowed.

"Ah—!!"

Muriel screamed and arched her back.

I supported her with my left arm so she wouldn’t fall and concentrated mana in my right hand, capturing the glowing light.

The light was sucked into my palm and gradually faded.

When the light completely disappeared, Muriel went limp and leaned against my left hand.

"Ha, ha... now... Hiroyuki-sama’s... ha, ha, my Master’s... Dule. Ha, ha, ah, ahaha."

Even while panting, Muriel gave me a real, happy smile.

"I... will live and die with Master. I’ll stay with you forever."

Muriel rubbed her cheek against my chest.

But... that’s no good.

"Eh? ...Why...?"

"If I die, I want Muriel to keep living. I want you to live a happy second life."

"But...! ...But now that there’s no Master...."

"I want you to live. Live well and be happy."

I repeated it over and over.

Muriel’s words were indeed sweet.

But for me, I would always die before my Dules.

I had no intention of dragging them to the afterlife with me.

It might be selfish, but if I lived, there would be happy times.

So I wanted Cathy, Tiria, and Muriel to live happily even after I was gone.

"..."

Muriel looked down and went silent.

I sat down right there, pulled Muriel into my lap, and stared straight into her face.

"H, Hiro... M-Master...."

First I stroked her head.

Then I gently stroked her black hair.

"Your hair is beautiful."

"N-no, it’s not. Because I lived as a slave, it’s been damaged. I was going to cut it so it wouldn’t get in the way of fighting... but... Master, do you like this style better?"

"Ah, it suits you."

"R-really? Then... I won’t cut it."

Muriel answered in a flustered, embarrassed voice.

"And... my chest is big and soft."

I wasn’t particularly fond of large breasts, but Muriel’s were nicely shaped despite their size, and because they were large they felt soft.

"T-this I hated, but if Master likes it, I’m happy."

Muriel smiled shyly.

Watching her laugh like her age, love welled up inside me.

I cupped Muriel’s cheeks with both hands.

"Mhm, cute."

"!!"

Muriel’s already red face turned even redder.

"M-Master...."

Muriel closed her eyes, and I kissed her lips.

A short kiss.

I did it again and again.

Muriel opened her eyes, looking at me with eyes full of desire.

"Are you going to live?"

"...That’s low."

Muriel turned her face away in a pout.

I gently grabbed her chin, turned her back to me, and kissed her again.

This time I slipped my tongue inside and ravaged her mouth.

Muriel also wrapped her tongue around mine and sucked.

When we finally separated, I kissed her neck, gently squeezed her breasts, and sucked on her nipples.

"Ah... ahfu... nn...."

Sweet, unfamiliar breaths escaped Muriel’s mouth.

I placed my hand on her thigh and slowly stroked upward over her armor.

Just as I reached her secret place, a loud explosion boomed.

I pulled my face away from Muriel’s chest and looked in the direction of the sound.

Black smoke rose there.

That direction... there was a village!

"Muriel!"

When I turned, Muriel was still unfastening her chest plate, trying to put the armor back on.

I went to help her, but she brushed me off.

"Go ahead. If I put this on too, I’ll catch up."

"...Understood."

After a moment’s hesitation, I answered and ran toward Rade Village.

...

I ran through the forest and burst out at the village entrance.

Screams and shouts echoed from everywhere.

First I checked where the smoke was coming from.

It wasn’t the house we were renting.

I calmed myself, grabbed fleeing villagers, and asked for details.

"What happened?"

"T-t-they used magic."

"Who?"

"I don’t know. T-they were men."

The villager turned and ran toward the forest as fast as he could.

Should I go back to the rented house or head to the smoke?

In the end I decided to return to the house.

"Cathy! Tiria!"

I opened the door and shouted for the two of them.

""Master!""

The door of the room burst open and both women rushed out.

They seemed unharmed.

Thank goodness.

I hugged them both.

Then I noticed someone was missing.

"Where are Quono and the others?"

"Um, Quono and the others went to check on the situation."

Tiria looked up and answered.

"...I’m going to check too. You two stay here. Okay?"

"...Understood."

I stroked the worried faces of Cathy and Tiria, then headed to the plaza.

On the way I saw corpses of villagers.

Some had their backs charred, others had been slashed from behind.

Someone had attacked the fleeing villagers.

I recognized a few faces.

There was the girl who had cleaned the rented house for us.

There was also a woman I had greeted while walking through the village.

Anger surged in my chest.

Explosions kept happening one after another.

Were they still being slaughtered?

When I reached the plaza, I saw Quono and Thomas facing a man in a black robe and black hood who looked like a magician.

Holes had been dug all over the plaza, and black smoke rose from them.

I circled around Thomas and stood beside Quono.

"Who are these?"

"I don’t know. They suddenly attacked the village."

"I see. I’ll handle these. Quono and the others, please take care of Cathy and the others."

"Heh heh, looking for the easy pickings? Not on my watch."

Thomas called out from behind.

"...I was helped by the people of this village. ...Can you leave it to me?"

I stared at the black magician and spoke in a calm voice on purpose.

"...Understood. I’ll go, Thomas."

"Ah, okay."

Quono turned around.

"He’s skilled. He uses magic to create flames at a distance. Also, there’s another woman who looks like a Dule. The two of us were in danger. Be careful."

Quono gave me the warning in a small voice and ran toward the house where Cathy and the others were.

Thomas followed.

Their figures disappeared into the distance.

The magician twisted his mouth into a crescent moon, raised his right hand, and began chanting.

Through his glasses, magical circles appeared.

I instantly leaped back.

A sphere of fire appeared exactly where I had been standing and exploded.

"Ugh!"

I immediately shielded myself with my cloak.

The spell was fast. And fire appearing out of nowhere made dodging difficult.

Thanks to Quono’s advice, I had managed to avoid it.

I thanked Quono silently, drew Shiranui, and advanced on the magician.

He looked startled for a moment, but soon saw through me and dodged.

Because I had been running and simply slashing, I had already calculated his movement.

I stopped, slashed behind me with Shiranui.

But the magician was gone, and he stood right in front of me.

I should have closed in for melee, but I deliberately backed away.

Still, the magician did nothing and just stood there.

"You finally cleaned it up. Took you long enough."

"I’m sorry."

"Then deal with this one."

"Yes."

A completely naked woman appeared from behind the magician, who had been talking to someone.

She wore only a collar and held a short dagger.

The moment I saw her face, my heart froze.

"Wh, why... why are you here?!"

Muriel was the woman.