Spoils
The royal capital of Rebeck, the King’s Palace.
Mira greeted me upon my return.
“Welcome back, my Master!”
“Back. How was the country’s administration while I was gone?”
“Um… it went smoothly. Yuria handled things, so it felt just like usual.”
“Good. Well done.”
I pulled out a pre-prepared paper medal.
I had three prepared, and handed one to Mira.
“A reward.”
“Thank you so much!”
——Magic power increased by 10,000 charge.
“What about Yuria and Rirya?”
“Yuria’s in Belmi, Rirya’s in Beesuk.”
“Ah. Then we’ll do this after they come back.”
I tucked the origami medal away.
“Hey, Master…”
“Hmm?”
I looked at Mira. Her expression had suddenly gone serious.
“What’s wrong?”
“Um… it’s about that girl…”
“That girl?”
“The other Eternal Slave child.”
"Yeah, the Eternal Slave girl. What’s wrong with her?"
"She’s taken ill."
"...What?"
☆
On the outskirts of Rebeck, in a quiet district.
There stood a mansion. Same design as the lord’s manor I used to live in.
That’s where the Eternal Slave girl had been staying.
The Eternal Slave, the Night’s Slave.
Since she was someone else’s slave, we’d decided to treat her as a guest, so we’d let her live here in the mansion.
I stepped inside, walked down the corridor.
Straight to the bedroom, and entered.
"..."
There she was. Lying on the bed, staring blankly out the window.
Honestly, I was shocked. Worse than what Mira had described.
She looked like a patient confined to bed.
Her cheeks sunken, eyes dull.
Didn’t move at all—so still she could’ve been mistaken for a wax figure—just staring out the window.
"……Hey."
After calling out, she finally turned toward me—only then did I feel, really feel, that she was still alive.
Honestly, this wasn’t some feverish drama.
I came close, spoke to her.
“How you holding up?”
“Fine….”
Fine? What the hell did she mean by “fine”?
Not a single part of her looked fine.
I bristled—held it in.
“Yeah. This is a little gift.”
I held out a seashell I’d brought back from the sea.
This one was for her.
Paper medals for the slaves. Seashells for guests.
That was the rule.
“…Thank you.”
A whisper, like a mosquito’s buzz.
No feeling at all. That irritating, flat “thank you” that makes your skin crawl.
She didn’t even take the shell.
Just set it on the table beside the bed.
“Mira told me. I was shocked. What the hell happened?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
“…The Saint’s Night hasn’t been found yet.”
She flinched.
“We’re searching for it. But we haven’t found it. Still, we’re keeping the search going.”
“…Right.”
She turned her face away.
It was painfully obvious.
There was no will to live in her.
Suddenly, the shell caught her eye.
The souvenir I brought—something for a guest, not a slave.
Not for a slave.
“I might’ve been wrong.”
“…Huh?”
She looked at me.
Still expressionless, as always.
I grabbed her hand and yanked her up, forcing her to stand.
“Eep!”
She collapsed onto the floor, dragged from the bed.
Weak. Couldn’t stand straight.
Still, I pulled her up. Forced her. Dragged her to her feet.
“W-what are you…?”
“I was wrong.”
I said it again.
It fit.
Yeah. I was the one who was wrong.
“I was wrong about how I treated you.”
“M-me?…”
“Yes. You’re an Eternal Slave—born to be a slave. I shouldn’t have treated you like this.”
“……”
“So, then—time to work. Starting now.”
“N-now?!”
She looked stunned. Like she’d just seen me switch into another person.
“Yeah. Got a problem with that?”
“Not that I—”
“Even if you did, I wouldn’t care.”
Cut her off mid-sentence.
Something about it just… felt right.
Eternal Slave.
A slave should be treated like a slave.
“But I’m… Saint Night’s slave.”
“Didn’t know that.”
“W-what?!”
“Wait—actually, thinking about it, I should’ve never hesitated. I beat him. You’re a prize. I should’ve just kept you as my own. No need to return you.”
“……”
She went utterly still. Dumbfounded.
Speechless, she stares at me, dazed.
“H-Really?”
“Hm?”
“Work… you’re okay with that?”
“……”
I say nothing, just pinch her cheek and tug.
“Eeep! Eeep!”
“Quit whining—”
Still tugging, I stare straight into her eyes and spit out:
“—Work.”
After a moment, she laughed.
The first time I’ve seen her smile since we met.
——Magic power charged by 900.
Still awkward, but undeniably a smile.