CH 23

Family

“Such a thing… such a thing is no good-desu…!”

Abruptly, Lulu-chan shouts like that. As a shout, her voices is somewhat small, and there’s no force on it, but for me, when I think about such a thing I can feel a somewhat seriousness from Lulu-chan.

Even since I bought her, I already know that Lulu-chan was thinking about something. Even so, I thought that it would be good as long as we were able to getting along little by little, but it seems like my calculation is a failure.

“…that, what is no good?”

Grasping tightly the clothes she received from Ayla-san, Lulu-chan’s shoulders are trembling.

What are you feeling, what are you shouldering? As much as possible I don’t want to treat you as a slave though, is that something bad for you?

And then, Lulu-chan is looking at me with a somewhat angry expression similar like at the time she was shouting a reckless remark toward that youth. Suddenly, as if being overpowered, I unconsciously take a single step behind. The Me, who After my encounter with 『Red Night』I think that there’s nothing that would be able to frighten me, I’m being overpowered by a mere twelve years old girl.

“Kitsune-sama is… too kind-desu!!!”

“Eh….”

“Why did you never scold me…! Slaves are a livestock-like existence which exist to be persecuted by their master-desu… to get my hand being held, to get head my head being petted… those are an evil dream-desu! Normally we should receive many abusive words, and just by touching their master it would be referred as a crime-desu…! Normally, if a slave was waking up later than their master, they should be scolded-desu! Even the food, actually it wouldn’t be strange for a slave to not receive it-desu…! Even the clothes, it won’t be strange for a slave to use that ragged cloth-desu!”

Treating her kindly is, strange.

That is indeed an obvious common sense for a slave, a dream which supposed to be never come true, desire. A happiness which she got when she was born to this world, and lost at the time she became a slave.

Lulu-chan is, as per her appearance, still an immature and pure kid. Nevertheless, that sole thing is tightly carved at her heart. She is an existence that shouldn’t receive any kindness, and couldn’t be separated from persecuted life.

However, seems like my actions were entirely outside that common sense.

“Not just that-desu…! Absolute obedience to their master is a matter of course for a slave… but why did you never gave me any order…!? If you said to do it then I’ll do anything… I even would become your attack target, I even would become the target to vent up your displeasure, I have no experience… but I even would become your night attendant…! However, why did Kitsune-sama never say it…! To me who disobeyed your order… why did you forgive me…!!”

That was, her whole feeling.

Similar like Lulu-chan, another childs who also become slave since they were still a kid, they must be scared to live a life without being persecuted. A slave that destined to live a persecuted life, they believed that receiving a kindness for the second time is something impossible.

However, since yesterday she was holding hands with me, got her head being petted, praised, treated kindly, that something which she thought to be impossible were happened to her consecutively.

For Lulu-chan, that was something impossible. Since that was impossible so it was scary. And made her uneasy.

To think that not being persecuted is, scary… somehow she is so pitiable.

“…Lulu-chan.”

“…That’s right… you should oppress a defiant slave like me… please hit me, please abuse me… that is my existence’s value-desu….”

She want to be hit, she want to be abused, her words were containing those feelings. When she said that to me, her shoulders were trembling and she also averting her eyes, that kind of appearance of Lulu-chan is, terribly painful to look at.

“I won’t hit you, I also won’t abuse you, and I won’t persecuting you either. I also won’t vent my sexual desire to you, I won’t force an order to you, and I won’t do anything like oppressing you. The things I’m going to do to you are, holding your hand, petting your head, praising you, eating our meal together, sleeping together, I’m only going to treat you kindly.”

“…do you still not understand it!? I’m a slave-desu!!”

“You’re indeed a slave, but you’re also my comrade, my family.”

“Wha….”

Right, you’re indeed my slave. However, you’re also my comrade, my friend, my family. That is the reason why I treat you kindly.

And I have no such a hobby like persecuting a girl after all.

“…why….”

“Listen properly, Lulu-chan, you’re my slave. But, since I’ve bought you so you should follow my idealism.”

“….”

“You’re indeed a slave. But, it’s okay for you to be treated kindly. I won’t ask the reason you become a slave either, and perhaps the peoples who treat you kindly thus far were already gone. But from here on is different, from here on I’ll treat you kindly, I also won’t forgive anyone who persecuting you.”

Similar like Shiori-chan who treated the persecuted me kindly, now is my turn to treat Lulu-chan kindly. I know the pain for being persecuted, and I also know the happiness for being treated kindly.

That’s why, Lulu-chan, I’m going to destroy that common sense of yours. Your heart is mine, I’ll selfishly save you.

“You’re my family, is that no good?”

“What,… is… that… that’s why you didn’t attach the choker?”

“There’s no one who would attach a choker to their family right?”

“That’s why… you treat me kindly?”

“That’s right.”

Lulu-chan hang her head, her body is trembling. Is she angry? As a slave that’s something she can’t accept, perhaps?

Well, either way, since I’m the master so I absolutely have no intention to backing off here though.

“…then.”

“Eh?”

“Then… my hair, please cut it. Since it’s already too long.”

“Eh?”

“We’re… family, right?… so please, listen to my selfishness.”

Lulu-chan said that with a bit uneasy and upturn eyes. Since we’re a family, at least they could say their selfishness. I see, does she knew my intention to overthrow her slavish common sense, and she’s trying to implement what I just said to her.

I have no experience to cut someone’s hair, but since Lulu-chan is trying to compromise… I should try my best too.

“Okay, fine by me. When we return to the inn, I’ll cut your hair nicely.”

“…Thank you, very much.”

Lulu-chan’s expression when she said that is, I can see a glimpse of happy emotion there. Just a bit, I have a hunch that her and our bonds are tightening.

“That’s good right~, Kitsune-san.”

“Yup.”

“By the way just now I’ve been always become a background though, I also want you to listen to my selfishness!”

“Yes, sorry, Finia-chan. I’m very sorry, I’m not forgetting about you, I’m really sorry, please forgive me, please don’t look at me with that scary face.”

I’m glad that my bond with Lulu-chan is tightening, but what should I do to extinguish the anger of Finia-chan. Her magical energy is surging out, her smile is similar like Mia-chan’s’ when she was in bad mood. Her eyes aren’t smiling at all. It’s scary, I’m sorry.

“…fufu.”

Ah, Lulu-chan is laughing.

◇　◇　◇

After I was able to somehow extinguishing Finia-chan’s anger, we returned to the guild. The magic attacks from the rampaging Finia-chan, who fired it while avoiding to entangling Lulu-chan in it, were indeed quite a disaster. Some of the stray bullets were killing some magical beasts after all.

Well, even while I’m become tattered, we somehow returned to the guild while bringing the medicinal herbs which had been collected by Lulu-chan. Mia-chan was startled when she saw my tattered shape, but when I arrived at her desk with my usual faint smile, she also float her usual business smile.

“You are awfully tattered again right, did you encounter a powerful magical beast again?”

Since there’s also the case about “Red Night”, I can’t laugh here. Nonetheless, I reply her with a bitter smile.

“Lulu-chan.”

“Yes.”

When I turn my face toward Lulu-chan, she obediently put the medicinal herbs at the counter. Since Lulu-chan’s stature is small, the counter is similarly height as her head. That’s why perhaps she can’t see the medicinal herbs, Mia-chan is currently taking out the application request in order to assenting the request which we took.

“The request has been achieved right. With one week time limit, wouldn’t it be good to take it with more ease?”

“Umm, well, that’s indeed right… since we have a week time limit so perhaps that should be okay.”

I said that while caressing Lulu-chan’s head. Her pleased expression -since she is feeling good and closing her eyes- is somehow lovelier than yesterday. Is it because she feels that she doesn’t need to be reserved to be spoiled?

Because that’s also transmitted to Mia-chan, she unintentionally smiling as if watching something charming. As expected, a smiling beautiful girl is sure would be a good picture right.

After that, Mia-chan nimbly finish the request achievement process, and give me the reward. Today’s reward is one silver coin, well, talking about reward, since I get a part of three gold coins so let’s call it a good reward.

“Kitsune-sama.”

“What’s up, Mia-chan.”

“What would Kitsune-sama think about taking a rank up test?”

Rank up… huh.

I’ve thought that there would be someone who would talk and suggest me about it, but I never thought that Mia-chan would be the one who suggesting me.

But, right now I have no intention to raise my rank up from H rank. Or rather, I feel like I won’t be able to. After all, my strength is just 40 you know? Moreover that is my limit you know? Of course that would be impossible, even if she’s a slave, I’m fully confident that I even would lose against Lulu-chan. Her strength is higher than mine after all. Moreover, she unconsciously learned ball crusher, I absolutely don’t want to fight against her.

“I must refuse it, I’m weak after all.”

“…I see.”

“Ah, but in exchange can Finia-chan and Lulu-chan also register as an adventurer?”

“Eh?”

I just aware of it, but if it’s Finia-chan then she must be able to take a higher rank. Even Lulu-chan’s quality isn’t half bad, with her demi-human’s ability she should be able to take a higher rank. At the time I registered, I only registered myself since I didn’t have the money, but right now I can also register Finia-chan and Lulu-chan.

Isn’t it fine even if the one whose rank is up isn’t me? Together with Finia-chan and Lulu-chan, we should be able to take a subjugation request, with that our levels would be raised, and our income would be increased too. Isn’t it like killing two birds with one stone.

“Are you sure? Kitsune-san.”

“I’ve said it right, Finia-chan, at any case I want you to become stronger. So that, you can protect me.”

“…Yes! Got it!”

“…well then, Finia-sama and… Lulu, right? I’m going to carry out the adventurer registration procedure.”

“Yup, by all means.”

Little by little, we become stronger. We must increase our level. For a bit longer, the time for me to search for a way to return to my former world would be arrived. After that, I would be able to fulfill my promise with Shiori-chan.

But, when that time arrived… what should I do with Finia-chan and Lulu-chan—

◇　◇　◇

Finished the registration, I and Lulu-chan returned to the inn. After she finished the registration, seems like Finia-chan is currently taking the promotion test. Well, with Finia-chan’s ability, at least she should be able to easily get to F rank right. Since Lulu-chan is still at Lv. 1, and she also have no experience in battle, so for now she only take the registration.

“Well then, Lulu-chan.”

“Yes.”

“Since you’ve become an adventurer, for now on I want you to fight against magical beast.”

“…yes.”

“It’s a bit hard to say since I’ve said that we’re a family, but for a starter since I and Finia-chan would be together with you so there won’t be any problem, I promise you that I won’t let anything to injury you.”

Lulu-chan is… or rather, a normal person would be in fear against magical beast. Because they didn’t have to power to fight it so they’re aware that they would die if they fight against it.

But, to be together with me then it’s already decided that they have no other choice than to fight together with me. As I thought, a considerable power sure is necessary.

“I understand.”

“Yup, and so… I’ll give you this.”

“Small sword, right?”

“Yes, according to the person from the weapon shop, seems like even a girl would be able to use it, so perhaps Lulu-chan would be able to use it too.”

She has a higher strength than mine after all.

“B, but… this is Kitsune-sama’s weapon….”

“To tell you the truth, I think I can’t use it, strength-wise it would be better if Lulu-chan is the one who use it.”

“…if that is the case, I will gladly accept it.”

“Yup. Ah, we must cut your hair right! May I borrow that (small sword) for a bit?”

“Ah, yes.”

Remembering about the promise, I borrowed the small sword. Then I stood behind Lulu-chan who was sitting at the chair. Her hair was so long to the point it would reach the floor when she sat, it was unkempt but when I touch it, it was still pleasantly felt silky.

Raising the small sword, I start to cut her hair around her shoulder. Since I have no experience at hair-cutting, I cut it carefully and cautiously. And then, when I finished cutting her bangs and also some detail parts, Lulu-chan is becoming way cuter beyond recognition.

Her unkempt hair is somewhat put in order, with her demi-human’s resilience, and with her vitality which gradually recovered, she’s showing a genuine neat girl ambiance. Since her vitality is greatly recovered compared at the time I bought her, coupled with her wearing a cute clothes, there won’t be anyone who would think that she’s actually a slave.

“Yup yup, something like it perhaps. Here, thanks.”

Returning Lulu-chan’s small sword, I collect the cut hair and put it to the trash bin. After that, I discovered something inside the trash bin. The thing I received from the slave merchant, 『Slave Choker』. At that time, did I throw it to the trash bin when we returned to the inn?

“That….”

“Ah, yeah 『Slave Choker』 right. No problem, I won’t attach it to you after all.”

“…no, please attach it.”

“Eh?”

Eh, what? Does Lulu-chan has that kind of fetish? Or so I thought but it seems like that isn’t the case. She is looking seriously at me. It isn’t a joking atmosphere.

“…why?”

“Kitsune-sama said that we’re a family… I’m really happy to hear that-desu, but… in the end I’m a slave-desu. I shouldn’t forget that… that is why, if Kitsune-sama really think me as a family… please attach that choker to me.”

“…not as a slave, but you want me to attach this choker as a sign that you’re my family?”

“…if Kitsune-sama do not want to do it then I also will not object it… but, I want it-desu.”

Slave, seems like such standpoint isn’t something that easy to be casted away, huh. Even if they’re called as a family, a slave is a slave, like the title at her status, that fact hasn’t changed.

If that’s the case, without forgetting her position as a slave, she become my family, right. The choker for that reason, the promise for that reason. The choker to make Lulu-chan my Family.

“…if that’s the case, I’ll follow that selfishness.”

With just attaching this choker, the slave-master contract would be established. But, as long as the master doesn’t say a word of order, then it won’t become an『order』. Moreover, a bond which would be crumbled by a mere choker, there’s no way they could call themselves as a family right.

I attach the choker to Lulu-chan. And then, I revise my order to her.

“Lulu-chan, you’re my family. If you think that you don’t want to do it then it’s okay to disobey my oder. If there’s something you’re unable to, I’ll teach you, I don’t have any intention to ask for something you can’t do either. This is an order.”

“—yes, Kitsune-sama.”

With this the master (I) and the slave (Lulu) are become a family.