Master and Slaves

"Now then, the explanation about Dules."

"Yes. Please."

Mateus sat in the same place he had occupied that morning, and I sat opposite him.

Helene and Tiria were cleaning up in the dining room.

Apparently Helene handled all the housework here.

At Helene’s request, I had Tiria help her.

"Well then... Come to think of it, Nene gave you some explanation yesterday."

"Yes."

"I see. Then... first, what a Dule is. According to certain documents, the Dule contract was created several thousand years ago, during the height of the ancient Asteria civilization. Its purpose is said to be a contract of master-servant relationship. In other words, something like a king and a knight. The difference is that the Dule also had the right to choose their master... meaning the contract only takes effect when both the master and the Dule mutually acknowledge each other. And in the case of a To-Dule, the master must fully acknowledge it."

"Eh? But I never acknowledged that Tiria would become my Dule. I didn’t even know about it..."

If I had known, I probably wouldn’t have agreed.

"Yes. That is why Tiria had intercourse with Hiroyuki-dono. That connection becomes mutual acknowledgment. However, it only takes effect when the one becoming a Dule has the intention to form the contract and initiates it from their side. The restrictions on a Dule are considerably strict, after all."

"I see."

In other words, it’s an extraordinary measure reserved only for those who willingly want to become Dules by force, and you cannot force someone into becoming a Dule against their will.

"Returning to this morning’s conversation, heroes with the power to defeat the Demon King are almost always male. Therefore Tiria was the optimal choice."

"...A sacrifice, then?"

"Yes."

Mateus’s immediate answer made me feel a fair amount of anger.

"She’s still a child."

"Yes. That was our miscalculation. We began teaching Tiria summoning magic, transfer magic, and the proper conduct of a Dule two years ago—one year after the Gerzil army’s invasion. The plan was to send Tiria to Gerzil four years later. However, the Gerzil army’s advance intensified, and a city that had been fortified as the front line was finally occupied. Therefore we advanced the schedule and immediately carried out the plan to assassinate Geizer."

"...Even so, according to the original plan Tiria would have been fifteen..."

"In our country one becomes an adult at fifteen. There is no problem."

No—isn’t the very act of offering a sacrifice a problem?

Condemning it as inhumane... probably wouldn’t work in this world.

...Though the fact that I’m accepting it myself is questionable.

"Well, that is why Tiria was optimal for this plan. And thus Hiroyuki-dono was summoned... that is the story."

"I understand clearly now."

"Indeed. While we are at it, let me explain a little more about Dules in detail. It concerns Tiria as well."

"Yes. Please."

"As I said earlier, the Dule contract requires mutual acknowledgment. However, that is only up to A-Dule. Ji-Dule and To-Dule become so—or are made so—as long as the master acknowledges them, even if the person themselves does not. It is said that Ji-Dule and To-Dule exist as ranks of punishment."

"Punishment?"

"Yes. For example, when an A-Dule disobeys the master’s orders or brings shame to the master’s name. Well, since they can never return to A-Dule, it is a severe punishment."

"Never again..."

"Yes."

"So Tiria is..."

"She cannot become an A-Dule."

I had hoped she could live as easily as Helene...

Ah, that’s right.

"Is it impossible to break a Dule contract?"

"Yes. It is possible, but the method is... as I said this morning. Either the master dies or the Dule dies."

I see.

Since I am bound to Tiria by the Dule contract, the method for me to return to my original world is, in other words, a method to break the contract.

"I see..."

"Indeed. Next, let me speak about the restrictions placed on Dules. Restrictions grow stricter in the order of A-Dule, Ji-Dule, and To-Dule. These restrictions can be divided into two types: magical restrictions and social restrictions. Magical restrictions are those forcibly imposed by magic and are said to have existed since the Dule contract was first created. Social restrictions are those that impose punishment on the master if they are not observed, and they were created more recently. ’Recently’ still means about eight hundred years ago, before this country was founded."

So this country is eight hundred years old.

I should ask about its history later as well.

"First, A-Dule. The magical restrictions allow the master to inflict pain or pleasure, or control physiological phenomena. The social restrictions are mainly that the first mark and the chest must be exposed, so they can act relatively freely. Some even work for their masters."

"...A kept man, basically."

"Pardon?"

Mateus asked after hearing my mutter.

"No, nothing."

"Hmm. Next is Ji-Dule. Its magical restrictions allow the master to inflict—or make it so they cannot feel—pain or pleasure, control physiological phenomena, and forcibly compel or prevent simple actions. The social restrictions require exposure of the first and second marks, the chest and the buttocks, but otherwise they can act as freely as an A-Dule."

"What do you mean by ’cannot feel pain or pleasure’?"

"My wording was a little poor. It means that even if pain is inflicted, they cannot feel it. The same applies to pleasure."

Like a drug, perhaps?

It feels more like a convenient tool than a restriction...

But the ability to give pleasure is the same.

In other words, the carrot and the stick.

"Finally, To-Dule. Its magical restrictions regarding pain and pleasure are the same as Ji-Dule, but all physiological phenomena are completely managed by the master. In addition, complex actions—even those the person themselves cannot normally perform—can be forcibly compelled as long as they are physically possible."

"What does that mean?"

"For example, bending joints the wrong way or stopping the heart is possible. Making them leap twenty meters is physically impossible, so it cannot be done, but making them leap without regard for injuring their legs is possible."

"That’s... torture."

"Indeed. It is punishment, after all."

A To-Dule must live in constant dread.

How does Tiria feel about it...?

"As for the social restrictions of a To-Dule, they require exposure of the first through third marks, the chest, buttocks, and private parts. Additionally, when going outside they must always be accompanied by the master or someone acting in their place."

"Someone acting in their place?"

"A proxy. In other words, someone who manages the To-Dule in the master’s stead. It is used when the master must leave the To-Dule for some reason and entrust them to another. I will teach you the method later."

Like when I go somewhere I cannot take Tiria.

"Please do."

"In addition, an A-Dule belonging to the same master also qualifies. If Hiroyuki-dono ever keeps an A-Dule, you will be able to entrust Tiria to them."

I wonder.

Will I end up keeping others as well?

"These three are the original Dules. Besides them, there are irregular types. One is called Ze-Dule. It was created around the same time as the social restrictions. Instead of the master, a tiny portion of the soul is sealed into an object."

"Doesn’t that mean the master can change?"

"Exactly. Currently rings are common, and whoever holds the object becomes the master of the Ze-Dule. That is why they are often used when buying and selling slaves. Recently Ze-Dules seem to be used frequently. The mark is unique to Ze-Dules and appears on the forehead. Magical restrictions are few—mainly the ability to inflict pain. Breaking the object that seals the soul removes the magical restriction. In other words, they cease to be a Ze-Dule. Socially, as long as the Ze-Dule mark is exposed, merely not covering the face is sufficient."

A simplified Dule, so to speak.

"The second is called Te-Dule. It is considered an even lower rank than To-Dule. Roughly half the soul is transferred to the master, but... in truth, little is known about it."

"What do you mean?"

"Transferring half the soul causes the person to die. The burden on the master is also apparently great, and there have been many cases in the past where the master died as well. Nowadays no one does such a thing. Because there are almost no Te-Dules left, we cannot investigate what magical restrictions they possess. What is known is that they do not eat, and therefore physiological phenomena such as excretion do not occur, and that they share the common traits of other Dules."

"Common traits?"

"Hahaha, indeed. I should have mentioned this first. Dules share one common trait... they do not die."

"...Huh?"

...Huh?