第１１５７堀：雑談で濁しはしません (Part1)
Chapter 1157: I Won't Let You Gloss Over It with Small Talk
Side: Shera
I will be honest.
I was worried about whether I could remain calm while accompanying Yuki-san to select slaves this time.
Even though I knew what a "slave" was in a purely academic sense, I had never truly witnessed the reality of it until yesterday.
My first encounter with "slaves" was with Aslin and the others... but by then, they were already under Yuki-san’s protection and being treated with care. Even to my eyes, having lived in the royal palace of Gartz, they were clean, well-groomed, and possessed knowledge that was second to none. While I felt indignant hearing their stories of when they were slaves, I had never actually laid eyes on the tragedies they had suffered.
That remains true even now that Weed has begun to operate in full force.
There are "slaves" here in Weed, but they are merely ordinary residents who happen to owe debts to the nation or similar entities.
I had never seen the terrifying, cruel reality of someone like "her"—someone whose body had been literally picked apart and toyed with, whose human dignity had been defiled, and yet was kept alive only to be sold off.
Moreover, the others who were saved had no light in their eyes; their expressions were those of people who had truly despaired of the world.
I realized once again how gentle the world I had lived in until now truly was.
That is precisely why I was worried about whether I could keep my sanity or remain calm when meeting the person who makes a living from that trade.
Even if he was the "good" slave merchant who had brought Ria-san to us.
When Ria-san first came to Weed, she was completely broken and in despair, but that was strictly due to the war. Having seen her regain her smile through the power of Yuki-san’s love, I still lacked a visceral understanding of what it meant to be a "slave."
However, Shau-san’s words made me realize that my attitude was merely an "escape."
Having witnessed countless horrific tragedies, Shau-san still refused to give up on working toward a better future.
Rather than berating us for our incompetence, she praised Seraria-san and the others for trying to create a better future.
That is why I made up my mind. As a wife of Yuki-san, I, too, need to grow.
Instead of ignoring tragedies as someone else’s problem or something inevitable, I must grasp them fully and find ways to resolve them. To do that, I must learn about these women myself.
With that resolve, I came to As’s slave trading house, but...
"Oh, I’m relieved. I had heard the news, but I’m just glad they were saved safely."
"Well, I’m not sure if they’re mentally 'safe.' It seems quite common for those kinds of people to commit suicide after being rescued."
"That is certainly a story I hear often, but the most I can do is keep them alive in that time and place. Well, I am still very much lacking in ability."
"No, you did well to bring them here. It is a fact that she was saved because of you. And above all, I want you to continue trading with the villages without letting this recent raid discourage you."
"Oh, no, no. Those villages have been my business partners for a long time, so please don't worry about that."
When As-san talks with Yuki-san, he truly looks like an ordinary merchant.
He mentioned that he had been forced to take in slaves from the villages and before he knew it, this was his business. Looking at him now, he really does seem like a good-natured middle-aged man.
"Changing the subject, I am acquainted with your wives, but would you mind introducing this lady here?"
As he says this, As-san looks at Shau-san with interest.
Ah, that’s right. Only the upper echelons of Weed know about Shau-san.
Since the Zuraburu Great Empire’s formal participation in the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance is still in the future, there is no way As-san would know her.
"Ah, my bad. Her name is Shau. Well, I’ll let her explain the details, but please keep her background a secret. It hasn't been made public yet."
"I see. So that is the kind of person she is. Then, once again, I am As, and I conduct business here in Weed."
As-san accepts Yuki-san’s simple explanation without a fuss and greets Shau-san.
Seeing that, I realized that I had been looking at As-san through the lens of prejudice.
I have traveled the world and seen many people, yet I had turned a blind eye to the people of my own country—it’s laughable.
Even Aslin and the others, who have the experience of being slaves themselves, were talking to him normally. This is truly a time for me to grow.
"Thank you for your polite greeting. My name is Shau. I serve as an assistant to the Emperor in the Zuraburu Great Empire, located beyond the Great Mountain Range from the lands of Kagura-dono and the others."
"So that is the case. No wonder you possess such elegance. However, why would you come to the place of someone like me, who deals in a trade that is so despised?"
"I am here to learn about the way of Weed. As a merchant, As-dono, I am sure you know how wonderful Weed is, do you not?"
"Yes. That is correct. This Weed is wonderful. And the country that has Shau-sama, who understands that, must be a very fine place indeed."
"Haha. It is embarrassing to say, but it is a foolish country that was at war until just now. I asked Yuki-sama for an introduction to a merchant so that I could learn about the customs and exchanges here, and I happened to encounter the incident the other day. At that time, I was able to assist slightly with the treatment of the injured."
"Oh, thank you very much for that. Thanks to you, everyone is alive."
"So, I want you to teach Shau-dono about our customs if she asks. Well, as long as it doesn't interfere with your work."
"Not at all. If it is a conversation with Shau-sama, I suspect it will actually make my work go more smoothly."
"Fufu. It is a relief to know you are someone I can talk to."
Saying that, the two of them laugh together.
Hmm, I suppose this is the merchant in them.
It is only natural for Shau-san as well. After all, expanding one's network for the benefit of one's country is an important job for those who support the nation.
Now then, I should get to work as well.
"Ahem. Shau-san, As-san, may I have a moment?"
"Yes, of course."
"What is it, Shera-sama?"
"The purpose of this visit was indeed to talk about yesterday's incident, but..."
"Ah, that's right."
"That is true."
As soon as I said that, Aslin and the others seemed to remember as well.
Labyris had been looking at me with a smile the moment I opened my mouth, so it seems she had been intentionally not saying anything.
She is as sharp as ever.
Well, that aside, we are here as Yuki-san’s guards, as his wives...
"That’s right. Let’s have you select some slaves for us."
"Yes. As-san. Please show us some slaves who can help with Onii-sama’s work."
"Show us~"
That’s right. To reduce the burden on my husband, Yuki-san, we must properly find the right slaves.
That is something I will absolutely not concede.
Yuki-san likely intended to use the flow of the conversation to gloss over the matter and pretend he had forgotten about the slave selection, but that is not going to happen.