From then until now
The train pulled away from the town, waved off by the smiling faces of Akito’s people.
Risha and Mira gazed out the window, while Rirya steered the train.
Yuria called out, then asked her.
“Who came up with that idea?”
“Everyone.”
“Everyone?”
“The whole town. Everyone. When they laid the rails, Madway found out and went wild. Said his master had made something grand, and life would get so much better after.”
“Yeah! That guy really gets it, huh!”
Mira said, excited, then turned back to the scenery.
“So we said we wanted to thank them. We came up with the idea.”
Yuria added.
Madway was the one who started it. The grand project—done by slaves, after all.
“Was it bad?”
“No.”
Not bad.
But still, they’d have to do something for the slaves.
They went to all that trouble with the welcome ceremony, so we’d better return the favor somehow.
Something that’d make them go, “Oh, please forgive us,” and melt in affection.
I thought about it.
“Master.”
Risha spoke up.
“What is it?”
“Look.”
She pointed outside the window.
A horde of monkeys gathered there.
Sharp claws, fierce looks, but weak—so weak they were no stronger than children.
I counted them—about twenty.
Perfect opportunity to boost the population.
“Rirya, stop.”
“Yes, sir.”
The train halted. I gripped the Eternal Slave, preparing to go deal with the monkeys.
“Master, let us handle this, please.”
Risha said it. All the slaves turned to look at me.
“Fine.”
I let go of the sword. Nodded.
——Magic power charged: 10,000.
——Magic power charged: 4,000.
——Magic power charged: 12,000.
The slaves grinned, leapt off the train, and charged straight into the monkey swarm.
No weapons. Not needed. They were fighting monkeys, after all.
Watching them, I thought.
This kind of thing happens all the time.
Four of them move in perfect sync at my command—yet only three get their magic charged.
Yuria’s missing.
In a way, she’s the toughest.
She’s definitely grinning. No doubt about it.
But the charge only kicks in if the joy level exceeds a million units.
That’s why it always feels like something’s missing.
……Alright. Decided.
Next time, I’ll return the favor with a charge big enough to power all four at once.
☆
The monkeys fell. One by one, they transformed back into humans.
Those who noticed started talking—some slaves explaining, others listening.
Seemed like everyone had heard the story. I stepped closer.
"Is it over?"
"Yes, it is."
"Good. Then let's get everyone to Rebeck for now. We can manage this many, right?"
I looked at the train I’d just made.
It won’t fit everyone, but it’s a magic train that ignores acceleration and braking inertia—so no danger.
"Risha-sama, your hem’s torn."
Rirya’s voice reached me. I stopped.
I turned. Just as she said, Risha’s dress was frayed.
Looks like a monkey’s sharp claws did that.
Risha looked at me, eyes down, guilty.
"Never mind."
I said it, then reached for DORECA to fix the dress.
I’d repair it—carefully, with magic, since she’s an important slave—just like that—
Dosh.
A noise. I turned. One of the monkeys had returned. A girl with long hair, sitting on her backside.
Her face was pale. She was staring at me, terrified.
Why all of a sudden?
"Master, that..."
Yuria poked my DORECA.
"Is this what's making her flinch?"
The question in my mind—didn’t matter. No need to ask.
The moment she waved Doreca around, the girl let out a scream so sharp it felt like her chest was splitting open.
☆
"My Lord"
Risha came to me to report, having re-questioned the girl.
How's it look?
"Um... that kid, she seemed to be with Seya."
...hmm?
What the hell is going on?
This is the second time I’ve returned from being a human, after being a shreivju. The first time, I was rescued by Seya, and ended up staying with him after that.
"Wait, did they even tell you that killing the monkey turns you back into a human?"
"Yeah. Well... it sounds like she had a rough time at Seya's place."
"Ah."
Nodding. I didn’t need to hear more.
So the Saint Night had turned people back into humans—those who’d been slaves, those who were supposed to become townsfolk.
“So… she got abandoned by Seya, then attacked by monsters again.”
“Back into a monkey, huh.”
“Seya checks her card whenever she’s violent. That’s why.”
“I see. Everything makes sense now.”
I stepped closer to the girl.
She flinched, tried to run, but Rirya held her tight—wouldn’t let go.
I pulled out DORECA.
“I heard the story. This is what scared you, isn’t it?”
“Eep!”
“Relax.”
I said, “Menu open.”
From the list, I selected a cake. Summoned the magic circle.
A cake that costs 3,000—paid ten times over with magic alone.
A cake that looked delicious—appeared in an instant.
I held it out to her.
“Like sweets?”
…eh, yeah
I handed the cake to the girl, who nodded hesitantly.
“Different from Saint Night’s way. That guy wanted to gather suffering into this card, but what I want is smiles.”
“Smiles?”
“Yeah. Smiles. Risha.”
“Here.”
“Mira.”
“Yeah!”
“Yuria.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Rirya.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I called out the names of the four slaves.
One by one, they stepped forward, standing before the girl.
“Eternal Slaves…”
She already knew. Yeah, she should know.
If she’d been at Saint Night’s place, she’d know about Saint Night’s slaves.
And she’d know exactly what Saint Night had done to his slaves.
The girl looked at the slaves.
Her expression softened, bit by bit.
“Slaves… smiling.”
“Yeah.”
“…We can smile too?”
“You can trust us.”
…Yeah. I’ll trust you.
The girl nodded, hesitant but firm.
"Slave, you're smiling."
"Is that so."
Smiling—it’s a good thing, for me.
A slave’s smile is proof of trust. That’s a good thing.
The girl shyly lowered her head.
"I-I’ll eat it."
She brought the cake to her mouth, as if hiding something.
"Sweet… delicious…"
As she ate the cake, her smile grew, slowly, steadily.