Master and Slaves

“Evocation Ifrit!”

The elf-like one shouted in a loud voice.

But nothing came out.

“…Ku, did I use too much magic on evoking Oistros!”

The elf-like one clicked his tongue.

Was Oistros that strange creature that had taken Yuki in.

The elf-like one started and looked this way.

“I” pointed his left hand at the elf-like one looking this way with a pale expression.

“Stop, stop it! I was only ordered! I’m not at fault! Right! Please! Plea…”

That was as far as the elf-like one could speak.

“Prominence.”

By the flame dragon “I” put out from his left hand the elf-like one burned up in an instant, and even his ash evaporated.

Neither I nor “I” had any more interest in the elf-like one.

“I” turned around and started walking toward Yuki lying on the floor.

With this, Yuki would be saved.

Thinking that I let out a sigh of relief.

However that was still too early.

“I” stood beside Yuki, looked down, and pointed his left hand at Yuki.

(Wait! What are you doing! Stop!)

That elf-like one was probably Yuki’s Master.

Now that the elf-like one was gone, if Yuki died she could not be brought back.

“’Nothing’ suffers the least.”

“I” muttered.

It was true I did not want her to suffer, but I had not thought to let her die.

However depending on the content of these fifteen years, even living might only make her suffer…

At the words “I” said, I myself began to hesitate.

Meanwhile magic gathered in “my” hand.

It should have been an instant, but it felt like a long time.

“”””””””Master!”””””””” “Hiroyuki!”

At that moment the Dules appeared from the hole “I” had come through.

“I,” who had been facing Yuki, turned around.

“””””””””!”””””””””

All the Dules who saw “my” face showed expressions of surprise.

“You are… who?”

Muriel asked “me” while taking a defensive stance with the greatsword Destroyer.

“I” faced the Dules warily, but his left hand still holding magic was pointed at Yuki.

And then…

(Stoooop!!)

I shouted with all my strength.

At that instant I lost consciousness.

…

“Hiroyuki… Hiroyuki…”

A familiar voice tickled my ear.

“Wake up… Hiroyuki…”

Someone shook my body.

Again, calling my name twice and shaking my body…

At the edge of my sleeping consciousness I was enjoying being woken as usual.

“Hiroyuki… Hiroyuki… wake up…”

Just as I thought, after calling my name twice my body was shaken.

“Yuki…”

I also slowly opened my eyes at this timing.

What leapt into my eyes were one woman and nine Dules.

At that moment the surrounding information was rapidly absorbed from my eyes into my head.

The dream I had seen while sleeping was forgotten and overwritten with information of the real world.

This is…?

I… should have been on a battlefield…

Why am I inside a building?

“Good morning, Hiroyuki.”

The woman in front of my eyes said my name and greeted me.

Tears were floating in her eyes.

However…

“Who… are you?”

I felt something nostalgic, but it was a face I had no memory of.

She seemed Japanese, but…

“!”

Perhaps surprised, the woman opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth with both hands.

At that motion tears spilled from her eyes.

“Hi-Hiroyuki, don’t tease me. You called my name just now.”

Perhaps thinking it over, she said that to me while laughing.

Though her cheeks were twitching.

I called it?

Me?

But I have no memory.

“Um, I really don’t know…”

I answered the woman that way while confused.

“But… because just now…”

The woman looked around.

“Certainly, Master was called by name.”

Receiving the woman’s gaze, Muriel said that to me.

Then the Dules around me nodded.

“What are you saying! I am… my name is… Yuki…”

The woman, Yuki, shook my shoulders while shedding tears.

Yuki… a nostalgic name I had heard before.

When I heard that name, tears spilled from my eyes.

Even so I could not remember.

Even though it should be an important name of an important person…

“Sorry, I just can’t remem…!”

When I tried to apologize to Yuki, Yuki brought her face close to me.

Then Yuki’s lips touched my lips.

“…”

It was a long kiss.

A truly long kiss, but only lips touching.

With that I…

I stroked Yuki’s head.

Yuki started, left my face, and looked at me.

“Yuki. Only a little, but I remembered.”

My first kiss with Yuki was on our first date.

No, she had demanded it when I was tutoring her.

“When I said I’d kiss you if you got a perfect score in the math you hate, you really worked hard and got a perfect score.”

“…Hiro…yu…ki…!”

Yuki clung to my neck.

She hugged so tightly it hurt.

I also put my hand on Yuki’s back.

And then… I noticed.

“Guaaah!!”

Suddenly intense pain assaulted me.

I had lost my right hand.

…

When I woke, first aid had been applied to my right hand.

Cathy or someone had probably done it.

However the cloth that would have been white was dyed red, and the pain gradually grew larger.

There Sophia suppressed the pain with magic.

“Painkiller magic is a simple thing, so the effect wears off immediately. You should have sacred magic Analgesic done later.”

Sophia explained looking frustrated.

“Thanks. That helped.”

I stroked Sophia’s head.

“Th-that’s only natural.”

Sophia said that while turning bright red, moving her ears busily, and letting her eyes wander.

“She’s quite attached.”

Yuki muttered that while narrowing her eyes as if dazzled.

“Th-that’s not it! As a Dule I only did what was natural…”

“Sophia. Certainly, you are quite attached.”

Muriel stopped Sophia’s words and followed Yuki.

Hearing that the other Dules laughed.

“G-gee! What is it! What’s with you!”

“Does Sophia dislike Master?”

Muriel asked Sophia, who was having a tantrum.

“Th-there’s no way that’s true!”

“Then isn’t it fine to be attached? Right, Master.”

Following Muriel, Cathy asked me.

“Yeah, I’m happy to have you attached, Sophia.”

I had been turned to suddenly, but I answered that way on the spot.

From Sophia’s head a pon! sound could be heard.

Sophia was putting out steam from her head and spinning her eyes and ears.

“H-hey, Sophia!”

Sophia fell against my chest.

“Aah! Only Lady Sophia is cheating!”

Cathy raised her voice and hugged me from behind.

Then the other Dules swarmed me in a rustle.

“Hey! Master is injured. That’s enough!”

Muriel shouted at the Dules.

Perhaps startled by that voice, the Dules’ movement stopped dead.

Then they timidly left me.

In their place I stroked the Dules’ heads with my remaining left hand.

There I noticed.

I turned my neck gigi gigi and looked at Yuki.

Normally this would become a scene of carnage, but Yuki was looking at us with her eyes narrowed as if dazzled, the same as a moment ago.

“I also… I also want to be here…”

Yuki let a single tear fall and muttered that quietly.

That’s right.

Yuki must not be here.

It would be better to return to the original world.

Because that elf-like one died, there is no longer anything binding Yuki to this world.

“Yuki can… return to the original world, right.”

“…”

Without saying anything she nodded.

“Then it’s better to go back. This world is too harsh for Yuki…”

I don’t know what happened in the fifteen years, but she should forget this world and spend time in the original world.

“I…”

“You mustn’t!”

When Yuki tried to say something, Tiria raised her voice.

“Tiria!”

“Please forgive me. Master, Lady Muriel.”

Muriel tried to admonish her, but Tiria cut that off and apologized first.

“But… Lady Yuki, that body is…”

Tiria pointed at Yuki’s body.

On Yuki’s white skin patterns were written in purple without leaving any space.

And she was connected here and there by chains.

“…A magic circle of magic amplification…”

Sophia said that quietly.

“Magic amplification?”

“Yes. A magic circle that strengthens the effect of magic. Normally you only trace it with a finger. But when you write it on a person’s body… the person written on strengthens magic using not only magic power but life force and even the soul.”

Sophia explained.

Even life force and the soul…

“If you write it yourself you unconsciously limit it so you only use more magic power, but when someone writes it on you like this… you see. And the soul is also bound by this magic circle…”

“Which means…”

“Even if she returns to the original world she will remain in this body, or she cannot return in the first place.”

Tiria took over Sophia’s explanation.

In other words, either way it would become a situation unfavorable for Yuki.

Would it be better to stay in this world…?

“I… want to be at Hiroyuki’s side. I may not have the qualifications, but… I still want to be at his side.”

Yuki looked straight into my eyes.

I… what about me…?

I have already gotten used to this life with Muriel and the others.

I cannot return to my original life.

Yuki… living with Yuki and making Yuki happy… the current me probably cannot do that anymore.

But in this world…

…Dangerous. I almost asked Yuki whether she had any acquaintances.

I think these fifteen years were hard for Yuki.

This is only my guess, but it is probably not wrong.

Then in this world there is no one she can rely on besides me…

What should I do.

That’s already decided.

“I…”