CH 4

I am Chris, the son of Count Hosa.

My family is a family that makes a living off slave business in the country of Rainana. It is a rather gray job, but it is legal in the country of Rainana, and above all, I’m proud to say that it is a job that is more than a little indispensable to this country.

However, there is something that worries me in the future, and I have been thinking about it every day. It was about Absolute-sama, the eldest son of the Ark family. My family is a noble family under the Ark family, and I have visited the Ark family several times and met with him, but I can’t shake the feeling of dislike I have for him.

My family, because of our profession, went to various territories to do business. In some of the houses under the Ark family, I have actively approached and befriended children of the same age in the house. I am confident in my communication skills, but I didn’t think I could get along with Absolute-sama.

I had talked to my father about it and asked him if I could be absent when he went to the Ark house.

“Chris. You know the most important thing in the slave trade?”

“It’s to develop an eye for people, isn’t it? I’ve heard this many times.”

“I know how you feel about Absolute-sama, but look a little closer. He’s great, isn’t he? He’s going to be a big deal in the future.”

He didn’t take me up on that.　

I knew this with my rational mind, but my instincts weren’t happy with Absolute-sama. I asked the other sons and daughters of the faction secretly if it was just me, and they all felt the same way, which made me feel relieved.

I was glad to hear that. I wasn’t wrong in the way I looked at people. It was my father who was wrong.

Just as I was thinking that, an incident happened.　

After greeting my father and the top nobles at Prince Michael’s 10th anniversary party, I was separated from the adults and headed to the floor where only the sons and daughters were.

Since I have a broad face, I got along well with the sons and daughters under the Ark family and enjoyed being at the center of their lives.

“Why are there filthy people like you present at this festive gathering?”

The sons of the upper nobility called out to us and formed a circle around us, isolating the members of the Ark family in the center.

I, the one with the highest rank, took the initiative in speaking up.

“We are also nobles of the country of Rainana, so there should be no problem with our participation in the party.”

“Certainly. But if there are nobles like you who make a living off filthy occupations here, the dignity of this party will drop, right guys?”

Laughter overflowed from those who had surrounded us.

My pride was aroused, and I found myself about to walk up to the son of a high-ranking nobleman, but it wasn’t to be. I was intercepted by a couple of people and I was seized.

“Hey. You guys teach him a lesson.”

I was lynched by the men who surrounded me and held me by the arms.

“Chris!”

“Don’t move!”

The daughter of Viscount Cruel and some others tried to come to me, but I stopped them. The other party was a high ranking nobleman, and we could only imagine what would happen if we, as a lower rank, did anything. I was beaten and kicked so many times that I became numb.

(Ku! Why did I let them do this to me?)

I was about to lose consciousness, but suddenly I became conscious. A tremendous pressure was being directed toward us.

“…What are you doing?”

I looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the true identity of this pressure was Absolute-sama.

(It’s amazing. How can he exert this much pressure when he is only 10 years old?)

A crowd of people avoided Absolute-sama and stood between us and the upper nobility. Looking at his back as if he was protecting us, Absolute-sama looked very big.

“I will say it again. He’s a member of the Ark family’s faction, but what have you done to him?”

In addition to his quiet but angry voice, the pressure he was exerting increased.

The surrounding high ranking nobles couldn’t bear the pressure and ran away. Seeing the nobles fleeing, Absolute-sama turned to us. This time, the pressure was released on us, and I could feel Absolute-sama’s anger directed at us. I immediately fell to my knees.

“Thank you, Absolute-sama, for saving us and I am sorry for bringing disgrace on the Ark family.”

Absolute-sama moved.

(He’s going to kill me.)

I closed my eyes as if waiting for that moment, but as soon as Absolute’s hand was placed on my shoulder, I knew that my wounds were healing.　

(I’d heard that he was quite talented with magic and swords, but I didn’t know that he could even use recovery magic.)

“You’re Chris from the Hosa family right? You’re in terrible shape.”

He called out to me, but he must still be angry. The pressure is still being released.

“Hah! I am sorry to have shown you something so unseemly. The other party had many high ranking nobles, so I couldn’t rebel, and as a result, it escalated. I take full responsibility for this. Please forgive me and don’t punish others!”

After my apology and pleas, the daughter of Viscount Cruel and others followed me. Then Absolute-sama spoke.

“I understand your story. But this time it’s the fault of all of you, not just Chris. Do you know why? Chris, on behalf of all of them, answer me.”

It seems that our plea didn’t reach him. He answered the question in a trembling voice.

“Is it because we looked down on by the other party because we are lower nobility?”

“That’s one thing, but you must have known beforehand that we have a bad reputation. Why did you all gather here so diligently? You knew that you alone, without any upper nobility, would be targeted.”

That’s certainly true. But we had no idea that we were being targeted to this extent. I said, almost in tears.

“Then what in the world do you want us to do about it?”

We, with our lowly titles, cannot go against those of higher rank. But Absolute-sama blew away such thoughts and said.

“Why didn’t you wait for me?”

We didn’t understand what he was saying for a moment, but we soon understood. Absolute-sama repeated his words.

“As Chris said earlier, this incident happened because you are the lower rank and they are the higher rank. What if I had been there? I wouldn’t have let them do what they wanted.”

That’s right. We were all disgusted by Absolute-sama. We caused a commotion because we acted to avoid Absolute.

“Now, I have told you that you are responsible for this incident. Therefore, you will be punished.”

For a moment, I was prepared to die, but it turned out to be a surprise.

“From now on, when you enter such events or school, try to be within my line of sight. That will be your punishment this time.”

I was astonished. There was practically no blame. Not only that, he told us in a roundabout way that he would protect us from now on. We had misunderstood him. I had no idea that he was such a generous man. I was ashamed that I had been so disrespectful to Absolute-sama. Tears began to well up.

When a carriage came to pick me up, Absolute-sama returned to the house, but I couldn’t stop crying after he left.

After the party was over and we returned to the mansion, I told my father what had happened today.

He listened to my story to the end without saying a word, and then he told me.

“I know you didn’t like Absolute-sama. But think back. What did Master Absolute do to you?”

I shook my head. Certainly, I don’t remember receiving any violence or slander from Absolute-sama. Our conversations were casual, but they were normal when I think back on them now.

My father repeated.

“This conversation is confidential. Don’t tell anyone. The fact is that Absolute-sama’s skills make him look bad to others. That’s why I have told you many times to cultivate an eye for people. I wanted you to judge his character and not be misled by his skills.”

I was astonished by a fact I didn’t know.

“How could you not have told me that he had such skills?”

I couldn’t help but think that if I had known about the skill, I might have responded differently to Absolute-sama.

“Cool your head, Chris. Details of personal skills are a matter of privacy. Especially if you are a high ranking noble.”

“I understand. But that would mean that Absolute-sama would be all over the place.”.

“It’s hard to make friends, let alone allies.  I have told you in particular. You were the most adored of all the members of your age group. I had hoped that through you, even just a little, your view of Absolute-sama would change.”

Hearing those words, I despaired. I was so disgusted with Absolute that I had made my friends of the same age agree with me. I had left him alone.

I couldn’t stop crying. That strong and somewhat gentle man had no one on his side.

How hard a road had I put him through?

My father rubbed my back and said.

“You gave up on him, but he didn’t give up on you. How will you repay him in the future, Chris?”

I had made up my mind. I wouldn’t let him, who seemed arrogant like that high ranking nobleman but somehow kind, be alone any longer.

“I will never give up on Absolute-sama. I will fill his surroundings with allies. That’s my responsibility to him.”

Hearing this, my father nodded happily.　

(First of all, let’s look for allies who share our views. The smart daughter of Viscount Cruel may share the same idea)

And so Chris began to make his move.

Chris Hosa

Age 10

Skills

Slave Contract V4…Can enslave a person with whom he has a mutual contract.

Status

Level : 10

Physical Ability : 15

Magic power : 40

Brain ：60

Magic learned

Fire

Technique

Strong communication skills