第１２１掘：壊れた少女 (Part2)
"We have no whips here to use on slaves. I may scold someone occasionally, but that is all."
If the people who also serve as their guards say so, then it must be true. With those words, we cautiously sit down on the sofa. It is an incredible piece of furniture—a softness and comfort I have never experienced before.
"Well, since our numbers have grown, I’ll go prepare some tea. And, ■■■, I heard those girls possess skills like arithmetic. I think it would be better to have them receive direct instruction rather than sending them to the training grounds. Could you hear them out for a moment?"
"I see. If they have already acquired arithmetic, we might be able to skip the training grounds entirely."
The representative seems to be going out of their way to serve us tea, but I am preoccupied with a single thought. I still cannot hear the names. Ever since that day, I have been unable to perceive people's names. I wonder what exactly broke inside of me.
"Now then, welcome to Weed. I am ■■■, the representative for the Entertainment District here in Weed. May I hear a little bit about all of you?"
I cannot hear it. That is why I cannot respond properly. My heart and body are broken, and my ears cannot hear. Faced with the questions from the other representative, I manage to offer some kind of reply, all while asking myself once again: *Is it alright for me to be alive?* It is a question I have asked myself countless times.
Perhaps out of consideration, the male representative distributed the tea and gave us a gentle explanation. Then, perhaps to lighten the mood, the three women drank the tea and ended up spitting it out, just as the male representative had done. After some light conversation, we were guided to an inn and told to return again tomorrow.
"Um, Representative ■■■? I have a question I’d like to ask."
On the way to the inn, one of us asked the female representative a question.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Uh, about our master... you mentioned 'wives' earlier. Are all of you, except for Representative ■■■, his wives?"
"Oh?"
The female representative’s eyes widened, as if surprised by the question.
"I-I'm so sorry! Was that an impolite thing to ask!?"
"No, no, it’s understandable. You’d assume there were only two, wouldn't you?"
"Eh? That means..."
"Yes, the three of us who were there, including myself, are all ■■-san's wives."
"Ehh—!? Ah, I’m sorry. I didn't mean that in a bad way..."
"It’s alright. So, how did ■■-san appear to you all?"
"Well..."
"Don't worry, please give me your honest impressions. I won't punish you for it."
Encouraged, we spoke our thoughts. He looks like an ordinary person. Isn't he a bit weak-willed? Is there any other ruler who serves tea himself? He’s a strange person. Even after hearing such harsh critiques of her own husband, the female representative smiled and replied:
"He’s a good man, isn't he? In these days of endless conflict, he is still able to be that kind to others."
Hearing that, I found myself convinced. I also saw how much love she held for him. If there is such a thing as a 'Hero,' he must be exactly like that man. He is someone who, even after losing everything around him, still manages to save others—unlike me, who cannot even manage a proper reply. That is precisely why I cannot help but think: *Is it alright for a burden like me to be alive?*
"I wonder... is it two characters? Three? Maybe it's just one."
That night, as I gazed at the moon, I superimposed the image of a hero onto him and tried to guess his name.