To the slave Simobe,

The town of Magatan.

A supply house for Schreivju countermeasures.

I was with Yuria, having transformed together using magic cards—same as what I did with Risha back in Akito’s town.

I even built the magical portal connecting to Rebec’s palace.

Now me and Yuria can move freely between Rebec and Magatan.

We’ve successfully infiltrated the town as residents.

Keeping Yuria close, I gaze out the window and say.

I did the bare minimum, and still, I look out the window and say.

“This is a bit of a shock.”

“What is?”

As usual, Yuria, the third slave, replies with her quiet tone.

Quiet type—same as Risha—but while Risha is generally polite, Yuria has a gruff edge.

I explain what I’m feeling to her.

"This place is supposed to be a government-provided house. I thought it’d be out near the edge of town, but this is almost right in the middle of everything, isn’t it?"

"True. Almost the center."

"Usually, places like this have high land prices and turn into busy districts, right? From what I can see, the surrounding area’s barely been developed at all... you know anything about that?"

I ask Yuria.

City planning. Development.

I’ve done my fair share of the actual work, but once we get past the initial phase, I hand it all over to Yuria.

So I ask her, and she quietly shakes her head.

"Sorry, I don’t know."

"Ah. Well, it’s fine."

Yuria admits she doesn’t know when she doesn’t know.

That honesty is rare. I think it’s good.

And honestly, I’d rather she didn’t know.

I’ve left everything to her—she probably knows more about the country than I do by now.

Even she, who knows nearly everything, had to go undercover from the perspective of a regular resident to learn something she didn’t know—strange, but finding out what was unknown was oddly satisfying.

Good start.

"Then I’ll wander the city a bit. Yuria, you’ve got work at Rebeck, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then go on ahead. I’ll be back around evening. Handle anything urgent yourself."

"Got it."

She nodded, stepping through the magic door.

"Wait—hold on."

"What is it, master?"

"...Something to bring back. What do you want?"

I thought for a second, then asked.

Yuria thought, then replied.

"Anything’s fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Well then—"

She nodded quietly, slipping through the magic door.

Hmm. Probably not going to work out so smoothly after all.

I’d thought I’d try and make her happy, but Yuria’s reaction was flat.

Of all six slaves, she had the least expression—rarely smiled unless something truly delighted her.

This time was no different. Even when Risha lit up over the “married couple” setup, Yuria didn’t react at all.

“Efficient. As expected of my master.”

That was it.

She wasn’t asking to be lifted up. She wanted her to smile. To laugh.

Oh well.

Shaking it off, I stepped outside the house.

“Hey, you’re the new one who moved in, right?”

The moment I opened the door, a young man stepped forward, as if he’d been waiting.

Slender. Androgynous.

With the right clothes and posture, he could pass for a girl.

“Svearof. You?”

“Sakimori.”

“Sakimori, huh. Nice to meet you.”

We shook hands.

Looks just as she seems—friendly, soft-spoken, gentle in manner.

“Do you live around here?”

“Over there.”

Svearof pointed to a wooden house three doors down.

“A bit old, but that’s my home.”

“Close by, then. Neighbors, huh.”

“Yes, please take care of me from now on. By the way, Sakimori—how’d you end up here?”

“Ah, something about coming back from a monkey? Or was it a monkey-something?”

Spitting out the rehearsed answer.

“Ah, the usual. You know, past lives—well, we call them that. Do you remember anything from your previous life?”

“Blurry. Can’t recall much at all.”

“That’s tough. But it happens. Don’t let it get you down.”

She leans in, earnest, encouraging me through my lie.

A tiny pang in my chest.

“So you just moved in today, then? Haven’t found work yet?”

“Ah…”

I pretend to think, then answer.

“This country’s one where you can live without working, right? So I figure I’ll just drift along, take on odd jobs now and then… that’ll work.”

I’d rehearsed that answer too—said the same thing in Akito’s town.

Honestly, I don’t have time to be tied down to a steady job. More precisely, being a proper office worker? Impossible.

I’ve got my real work—being king—plus I’ve got to infiltrate all six towns before it’s over.

No room for a regular job. So I decided to do this instead.

“That’s right. I think that’s fine. A country like this lets you do things your way. Oh—when you need work, just let me know. I’ll find you something. There’ll be a small condition, though.”

“A condition?”

“Yes. I’ll explain when the time comes. But when you take a job, you’ll have to wear this.”

Svearof pulled out a badge.

“What’s that?”

"This is Yuria-sama’s badge. My guild supports Yuria-sama—ah, Yuria-sama is the high-ranking slave of this country, uh, slave meaning—"

Svearof explained the country’s structure, the king, and the six slaves beneath him.

The six were ranked just below the king, he said.

There were twelve slaves total—but he bit back the urge to correct that.

"Someone from a time or country where having slaves above you was bothersome might find this change refreshing. But I think you’ll adapt quickly."

"Is that so."

"Anyway, when taking on work—especially work that yields results—you’re supposed to wear this badge. It’s a way of showing off."

"I see."

I nodded along, though honestly, I was a little startled.

So that’s how it worked down here.

Maybe you just have to experience it firsthand to get it. You’ll figure out the meaning behind the badges eventually, I guess.

“Of course, I’m not forcing anyone. Everyone’s got their own circumstances.”

……

I thought about it.

Isn’t this—actually—kind of a chance?

I remembered Yuria, whom I’d just parted from.

Never smiles much. Slave with an absurdly high magic charge threshold.

I’ve tried everything over the years. Sometimes I wonder if it’s just gotten stale. Like I’m going through the motions.

But what if—what if this? What if it’s like what Svearof mentioned?

Instead of just being a master, showing support as a fellow resident?

Not just a master doting on a slave—but making the slave happy as a servant?

And if I do that… could I also do more as a master?

I mulled it over. Feels like a lot more options just opened up.

“Got it. I’m joining the guild.”

“That so? Welcome, then.”

Svearof brightened at my reply, a grin stretching wide across his face.

No— not you. Your smile doesn’t matter.

Smiles belong to slaves alone.