The Determined Slave

“Um…”

“Hm?”

Risha fidgeted, then spoke.

“I want to go hunting… with my master.”

“Hunting? Ah, you mean this.”

He held up the Eternal Slave Mod.

Risha nodded.

So she wanted to be a sword—something he could swing.

That’s her wish. Cute, really.

“Fine. Then something other than Thrui.”

He mentally scanned the magic array’s radar for monsters he could find.

Thrui was out. So how about Schreubij?

They’re weak, but plenty of them. Perfect for a ‘dominant’ run.

The kind of enemy that lets you swing Risha as a blade as many times as you like.

“Um… master…”

“What now?”

“Me… and Thrui, too…”

Risha spoke hesitantly.

She was scared. But still, the look on her face said she could bear it—if that’s what she wanted.

“…”

He hesitated.

She hesitated, wondering which would make Risha happier.

Going after a weak opponent and dominating them, or deliberately taking on the one she’d been afraid of just now.

Which one would she enjoy more?

"Then... let’s go with the Trowi one."

"―Yes!"

―Magic power charged: 5,000.

Was that the right choice, though?

She glanced at Mira, still lost in thought.

"Mira, you stay here."

"Yes!"

Mira snapped to attention, standing straight with her hands at her sides.

Next to her, she drew a magical circle.

A magic circle for crafting Niteka.

A targeting circle that pointed toward the material—this would be the scanner for finding Trowi.

"Let’s go."

"Yes."

Risha was sealed into the Eternal Slave Rebuilt, and they set off.

☆

Trowi’s corpse lay sprawled on the ground.

Cut down without a word the moment they encountered him.

"Isn’t it scary?"

(Yes)

Risha’s voice coming through didn’t sound scared at all.

A quick glance at Eternal Slave Re:.

The blade’s flame was roaring.

Not fear—more like a spark of battle lust.

“…You.”

(Yes? What is it?)

“Isn’t the flame stronger than when we set out?”

She raised Eternal Slave Re:.

This time, she studied it closely, right in front of her eyes.

No mistake. The flame wrapped around Risha was burning brighter than right after departure.

(Perhaps, but I don’t really know.)

“Hm.”

Risha answered casually.

No hiding anything. Really didn’t know.

So what?

With that Risha in tow, they kept searching for Trowi.

The magic array radar found another one soon enough.

“Let’s go.”

(Yes!)

They charged toward Trowi.

The giant monster spotted us and let out a roar, charging forward.

A fist bigger than a basketball—multiple times the size of a human—crashes into me.

Do not avoid it, do not reject it—cut through it head-on.

The giant's fist. The sword of flame.

The shockwave rippled through the air.

“Haaahaaaah!”

With grit and magic poured into it.

Swinging the hilt still clenched in hand—fist split clean through the center, arm sliced vertically open.

Trloy screams. Lunges forward—slices off her head.

She landed still clutching Eternal Slave, the blade of flame roaring higher, swirling in a furious, howling vortex.

(Such a proper master you are.)

A voice, trembling with emotion, reached her ears.

With those words, I made a guess.

She wanted to try it, so she kept searching for Troi.

Walked for a few minutes—encounter.

Troi, with his ferocious nature, charged from across the way.

I don’t move. Stand rooted in place.

(Oh, oh, Master? A monster’s attacking!)

Risha trembles. The flame on her blade flickers, weakens.

Troi swings his massive arm.

Bwoooon— the sound splits the air.

Still gripping Eternal Slave Revised in my right hand, I pour magic into it.

Then thrust out my left hand.

Dōōōōōōn!

A thunderclap echoes—my left hand stops Troi’s fist midair.

Squish. A deep, internal crunch.

Heavy weight. But thanks to overloading my magic, it’s nothing serious.

Still—

(Amazing… amazing… amazing…)

Risha repeats the same phrase like a broken radio.

“How was that?”

(You stopped it with your bare hand! Truly, my Master!)

She squeals, breathless with awe.

In that instant, the blade’s flame flares to life.

The flame roared higher.

Higher than before. The peak of today.

The fire burned fiercely.

Seems like it gets stronger when she thinks I’m impressive.

Adorable.

Even without that, her excitement was obvious.

“Risha.”

(Yes.)

“Let’s go further. Keep up.”

(Yes!)

Risha answered, buzzing with excitement.

☆

I turned Risha back into her human form and walked with her back to the city of Beesku.

Holding DORECA, I opened the menu.

In the end, after taking down dozens of Throis alongside her, the magic we gathered totaled about 70,000.

Around 20,000 from combat, and another 50,000 when I praised her with “Well done” after she reverted to her original form.

The breakdown made her even more endearing, so I folded paper as I walked and made her a medal, handing it over.

Here, take this. You’ve worked hard today. A reward.

"Ah—thank you so much!"

——Magic power charged: 10,000.

Risha cradled the paper medal like it was made of gold.

"Keep it safe. Collect ten, and I’ll do something even better for you."

"Yes! I’ll work hard for my master!"

I walked slowly beside her.

Back to the town of Beesuk.

Life in Beesuk was returning to normal.

Among the people, Mira stood frozen in place—“Attention.”

Exactly where we’d left her. Same posture. Same stance.

“Mira?”

“Oh—master.”

She looked up at me, eyes bright, sparkling.

Like a dog waiting for a treat, tail wagging in her gaze.

I realized it instantly.

After all this time, I finally understood what the slaves were waiting for.

"Good job sticking to my orders. You can relax now."

"Yes!"

—Magic power charged to 100,000.

Mira’s eyes sparkled. Risha stared at the junior slave with a look of envy.