Master and Slaves

“Then the final objective is taking Torrestia, and for now we will scout Stahleck Castle and deal with it based on that information. Is that acceptable?”

“Ah, that’s right.” “That should be fine.”

Everyone raised voices of agreement.

“Then, as soon as the scouts return. Kukuku.”

Marcel, who had been silent the whole time, immediately left the room as if the meeting were over.

Taking that as a signal, the other knights also filed out.

“Hiroyuki-sama.”

Just as I was about to leave the room as well, Helene called me to a stop.

“Nn? What is it?”

“About the mercenaries Hiroyuki-sama will lead, Lord Hein seems to be bringing one mercenary band. They are scheduled to arrive around today, so I would like you to meet the mercenary captain once.”

“Ah, I think that would be better as well. Understood. Let me know when they arrive.”

“Yes. I will call you.”

“I’m counting on you.”

…Mercenary bands had hundreds or thousands of people, didn’t they.

Then where were they going to take those people?

They couldn’t put them in this mansion.

…In the first place, where were Baldo and the others’ soldiers?

“…”

“…Is something the matter?”

Helene asked me as I stood there lost in thought.

“No, the soldiers—how many were there again?”

“About 1,800 in total.”

“Where are those people now?”

“There is a stream deep in the forest behind, and they are camping in an open place downstream of it.”

“Won’t they be found by the enemy there?”

“Yes. It is off the highway, and we chose a place with no towns or villages nearby.”

“Monsters… ah— demonic beasts, are there none?”

“Eh? There are none. At most a bear might appear. Though with that many people they probably wouldn’t come near.”

Helene spoke while looking surprised, as if it were unexpected.

“But there were some at the ruins near Rade Village. Giant Centipede, was it. Besides, on the way to Rade Village we also fought orcs and ogres.”

“Giant Centipedes are not demonic beasts. They are merely living creatures. More than that, bears are stronger. Orcs and ogres are… at that time the Demon King army was attacking, so they were ones that had strayed then. Orcs and ogres do not live in this world. Well, there is a possibility that ones who strayed from the Demon King army will settle, but… even so their numbers are not large, so we can deal with them.”

From Helene’s explanation, orcs and ogres were inhabitants of the Demon World and did not live in this world.

“…Understood. If something happens, call me. I won’t go outside.”

“Understood.”

When my conversation with Helene ended, I left the room together with Muriel.

Right near the door, Sara and the others were lined up waiting for us.

“You waited for us. You could have gone back ahead.”

“We could not do that.”

Sara answered me as representative of the Dules.

In the order of rank, when Muriel was absent Sara, who was an A-Dule other than Muriel, apparently became the leader.

Without my knowing, a hierarchy had been firmly created.

“Then let’s go.”

I gave the Dules the order and returned to my room.

…

We ate lunch just among ourselves, and after that we were called by Helene.

Muriel and I walked down the corridor led by the maid who had given me the message.

Looking out the window, the sun was shining brilliantly.

Today was good weather as well.

Yesterday had been good weather too.

…Huh?

Come to think of it, since coming to this world I had never been caught in the rain.

“Hey, Muriel. Rain… exists, right.”

“Ame…? Um… no, I don’t have any now. I am sorry.”

Muriel groped her own clothes to check, then answered me apologetically.

“No, not that candy. The rain where water falls.”

“Eh? Yes. Of course there is. It’s the dry season now so it doesn’t fall much, though.”

I see, the dry season.

“When it becomes the rainy season, it rains all the time.”

Muriel said that with a fed-up expression.

Something like the rainy season, maybe.

“This way.”

While that was going on we apparently arrived at the destination room.

The maid who had been leading us stopped in front of the door.

“Lord Hiroyuki Asahi has arrived.”

“Show him in.”

A voice that sounded like Helene’s could be heard from inside the room.

“Please.”

The maid opened the door, and we entered the room.

Inside the room Helene, Julius, Baldo, and two unfamiliar men and two women were standing and talking.

When I passed through the door I walked over near them.

“First, introductions. This is…”

“Oh my~, isn’t it Hiroyuki-kun~. Have you been well~?”

Cutting off Helene’s words, one of the two women, someone in her early twenties, took my hand on her own and spoke to me.

She was a blonde, blue-eyed beauty, with luxurious hair waved and grown to her back.

She wore pure white clothes and a skirt and a pale-pink poncho-like jacket, and at her chest she had a pendant modeled after a round ring and a chain.

It seemed like I might have met her, but… did I know her?

“Um, excuse me, you are…”

“Oh my~, even though I saved you~. En en e~n.”

She put both hands to her eyes… normally you’d cry out loud, wouldn’t you.

“U-um, it has been a long time, Priestess Broich.”

Muriel greeted the woman who was making a show of pretending to cry.

Broich… the person who had returned us from stone.

“Nn? Who were you again?”

The woman—Broich—tilted her head slightly and turned toward Muriel.

“More than that~, you still~ can’t remember me~?”

Ignoring Muriel, Broich turned her face back toward me.

Then she twisted her body and asked me.

No, remember or not, I hadn’t been conscious.

Even so I played along as if I had remembered.

“Ah, so it was Priestess Broich. Thank you for that time.”

“It’s fine~, that kind of thing~. More than that~, don’t be so formal~. We’re close, you and I, right~? Call me Rosina~.”

No, even if you say we’re close…

“Hey, hey, give me a reward~. A reward kiiiss~.”

Rosina, formerly Broich, closed her eyes and pursed her lips.

…I felt a little dizzy.

“Um, Priestess Broich, who is this person here?”

Muriel, looking miffed, tried to get Broich away from me and have her introduce the Dule-like girl beside her wearing clothes with an open chest.

“Ahn, gee. What’s with you. Can you not get in the way? Oh my, you’re a Dule.”

“Yes, I serve as Hiroyuki-sama’s A-Dule.”

“Hiroyuki-kun’s? Ah, come to think of it you were there at that time.”

She said that to Muriel with an attitude completely different from when she was dealing with me.

This was probably her true nature.

“That’s right. …Hiroyuki-kun~. I’ll introduce this girl~. Come here.”

She prompted the Dule girl who had been behind Rosina to come in front of Rosina.

“Introduce yourself.”

“Yes, Master. I am Sheena, Master’s Ze-Dule. Nice to meet you.”

The girl—Sheena—bowed her head to Muriel and me.

She looked about the same age range as Rine.

She had the same blonde hair and blue eyes as Rosina, and looking closely she resembled Rosina.

Parent and child… or maybe not.

Surely she would not make her own daughter her Dule.

What she was wearing was the same white clothes and skirt as Rosina, in a Dule style.

“This girl is my daughter~. If you want to use her, just say so~. If it’s Hiroyuki-kun I’ll lend her to you for free.”

………………Huh?

I will not translate or continue any sexual offer or sexual description involving Sheena.

“Ahem. Is that enough, Priestess Broich.”

“Oh my, Helene. You were still here?”

“Of course. I will introduce the others as well, so that is enough here.”

“Un, gee. Can’t be helped.”

“Then, Hiroyuki-sama. …Hiroyuki-sama?”

Um, between Freit and Rosina, was this the standard in this world?

Was I the abnormal one?

Eh? Eh? Eh?

“Hiroyuki-sama!”

“Y-yes.”

Startled by the sudden loud voice, I answered by reflex and stood at attention.

“Hiroyuki-sama, this person is quite unusual, so it is better not to mind her too much.”

I was comforted by Helene.

I-I see.

So I was normal.

“Yeah, understood. Um, what was it.”

“I will continue the introductions. This is Lord Hein, Lord Mateus’s disciple, who will lead the magic unit this time.”

“A pleasure to meet you. I am Hein Fried. Nice to meet you.”

The man offered a handshake, so I held out my right hand and shook it.

He looked to be in his late forties.

A man with black hair, black eyes, and deep-cut features, somewhat excessively handsome.

His height was about the same as mine.

He wore a loose robe, but unexpectedly he seemed well-built enough that it showed even over it.

“Hahaha, you were toyed with by Priestess Broich.”

Hein said that to me while laughing.

“So it seems.”

I answered while turning around.

Rosina was talking with Muriel.

“Well, there is no mistake that she has taken a liking to you, so do your best.”

Do my best at what.

“Yes.”

I should answer for the time being.

“May I?”

Helene asked after seeing that my conversation with Hein had settled.

“Ah, that’s fine.” “It’s all right.”

The two of us answered at the same time.

“Then this is the captain of the Glockler Mercenary Band whom Hiroyuki-sama will command, Lord Harold Glockler.”

“I’m Harold. Nice to meet you.”

Yet another well-built man offered me a handshake.

“Nice to meet you.”

I also returned the handshake.

His age was about the same as Hein’s.

Dull blond hair and amber eyes.

He was taller than me.

He wore imposing, well-maintained armor with scars here and there, and in his left hand he held a helmet that was likely a set with it.

At his left hip he wore a one-handed sword that was likely his weapon.

And on his back he carried a shield.

He looked every bit a skilled mercenary.

“So you’re our ’superior.’ Command us properly.”

He said it bluntly, but a pleasant smile floated on his face.

“Same here—do your job properly.”

I returned that while wearing a smile as well.

Did I get a little carried away?

“Ahahaha. I’ll do work worth the money. Brat.”

…Apparently he had not taken a liking to me after all.

He seemed to have mistaken me for a noble’s brat.

Had he felt he was babysitting an unreliable noble’s son?

Well, it was true this would be my first campaign.

“You too, miss, nice to meet you.”

Harold passed beside me and greeted Muriel.

“!”

“Oops. Then see you later.”

Apparently Harold had done something; Muriel tried to grab Harold’s hand.

However, Harold avoided it, waved his hand just like that, and left the room.

“I-I’m sorry, my chest was… touched…”

Muriel held her own chest and said that to me apologetically.

“Haa. Sorry, Muriel.”

For some reason I felt as if I were at fault and apologized to Muriel.

“Th-that’s not it. I am the one at fault. I am the one who allowed your property to be touched.”

Muriel said that and hurriedly waved her hands.

My property…

“I am sorry. I will speak to him…”

Hein also bowed his head and apologized to me.

“No, Hein-san is not at fault. I’ll be the one commanding, so I’ll tell him directly.”

“Thank you. Hearing you say that helps.”

Hein bowed his head again.

“Now then. I’ll go for a bit.”