CH 107

I go greet the village chief, and I’m not only welcomed, but also provided a room in the inn for free. It was provided to me, but it only has three beds. Are they actually looking out for me?

I sit down on a bed, Hikari sits next to me, and Mia and Sera sit on the one in front.

Mia has been pouting ever since I spoke to those villagers. Is she upset because I go in the way of their work?

“I’m glad we managed to meet up without any problems. Did you have any problems on the road?”

“…Not really, master. We weren’t attacked by monsters either, and we didn’t have problems with the other slaves either.”

Says Sera. That’s good to hear.

“Then I want to decide a few things about what’s to come. That said, our destination is already set. Sorry, but I won’t be able to hear your wishes.”

“I’ll go with you Master.”

“I will follow you, Mister Sora.”

“You’re the one who gets to decide.”

Say Hikari, Mia, and Sera.

Hn… This feels so stiff and formal. I wish they could be friendlier. I get that they’re slaves, but Mia in particular sounds weird. It feels like I turned her into a slave with no choice in the matter.

“Mia. Can you stop it with the Mister Sora?”

“No, you’re Mister Sora. I’m a slave now.”

She really got that into her head. Was the shock of people going after her life that severe?

“You should talk normally, like you did before. You were only made a slave because it was a good way to escape the holy city in the first place.”

“Probably. But you have saved my life multiple times.”

“I don’t remember those multiple times…”

I try to argue, and she shows me a necklace. I remember this.

“I would have died for sure back then. I’m only here because of you.”

It’s a magic stone with such a fresh blue color that it could be confused for a gem. It’s cracked.

I gave it to her as a charm, but I think she might have noticed something else was up. In reality, this has a magic barrier effect attached to it. That’s why it’s broken.

I thought I made it well, but Mia was injured. Is it not like skills? Does it activate when certain conditions are met? Or did I just not make it right? I need to look into that.

“Then this is an order. Mister Sora, and that sort of weird formal speech in general is prohibited. I liked you better the way you were before. You were easier to talk to.”

“B-but… Understood.”

Mia looks down with her face bright red. I don’t think it will happen right away, but I hope she can slowly go back to normal.

That’s one problem down. I hope!

Next, Sera. I think she has a lot to ask. Her tail won’t stop fidgeting.

“Our next destination is the Magic State of Efa. More specifically, the town of Majolica, where the Magius magic academy is.”

Hikari’s eyes are shining. But that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s attending that academy. Does she know that?

“Why Majolica you ask? That has to do with Sera. Ah… And I guess I want to go to a dungeon too.”

I want high quality magic stones, so I can live a comfortable life with alchemy.

“Well then. It looks like you have a lot of questions.”

I cast Silence to soundproof the room.

“Let’s go from the start. But first, I want to give an order. You are not allowed to talk about this with anyone else. It doesn’t leave this room, unless I allow it. All right? And save all your questions to the end.”

The three girls nod, and I start.

First, I talk about how I’m one of the heroes summoned into the Kingdom of Elesya. But I had no fighting power, so the ones who summoned me threw me out.

I tell them how I became an adventurer and decided to make a life for myself in this world. How I met two girls named Rurika and Chris, who taught me the ins and outs of being an adventurer, and eventually they told me their goal.

Then I talk about meeting Hikari, and a demon right after.

From there I tell them about meeting Leila and her party, fighting an orclord alongside them, and my explanation cleanly ends with me meeting Mia and Sera in the holy city.

“That’s honestly unbelievable. I’ve never heard of an otherworlder before.”

Mia is shocked.

“I’ve heard from grandma about people wandering into this world from other worlds. But to think you’re one of them…”

Says Sera.

“Master is an otherworlder, that much is certain.”

“And you were a spy, Hikari? That sounds tough.”

“I don’t really remember that. And I met master, so it’s fine.”

It feels like Hikari lost a good chunk of her memory, probably because of the slave mask.

“So you’ve really met Rurika and Chris? Are they doing well?”

Sera’s words feel… Age appropriate I guess? Like the thorns were removed from them. Like they lack that distant attitude. We’re kind of taken aback by this sudden change, especially me.

“They’re both well. It’s like Rurika has energy to spare, and Chris is getting dragged along. But they’ve become adventurers and are going over different countries to look for you and Eris. In a way, they’re the ones who taught me how to walk in this world.”

“I see… I see.”

She nods, looking relieved. I guess she was also worried about her friends.

“By the way, do you have a charm? Something that tells a person is alive somehow if they’re holding it?”

“…I don’t have that anymore. It was in the dark forest, when I suffered wounds severe enough to be fatal. And I think you need magic energy to check that. I’m a beast person, so my magic energy is weak, and I don’t know if I would be able to check even if I still had that. And I never even knew you could use it like that in the first place.”

I see. She doesn’t have it, so she doesn’t know if they’re safe or not. And she doesn’t even know how to use it.

Then how come Rurika and Chris know? And why did they think Sera was alive if Sera lost her charm? I’m so confused.

“Sora, hum, if you defeat the demon king, do you go back to your world?”

“No. To be more precise, I can’t harm the demon king.”

“What do you mean?”

“My heart is bound with a restrictive curse. Remember how I said I met a demon? I formed a contract so he’d let me live. Basically, I’m not allowed to harm the demon king.”

“Was that demon really that strong?”

“Strong enough that I wouldn’t be able to do a thing to it.”

Hikari’s body is shaking. I guess she remembers it somewhat.

“But he didn’t really come across to me like a bad guy, from our short conversation. We just talked normally. But it felt like he would stop at nothing to accomplish his goals.”

Mia’s face contorts. I mean, she was almost killed without question.

“It’s like with people. There are good and bad people. I’m sure demons are all different from one another too.”

“Yes. That’s it.”

“And well, that means I won’t be fighting the demon king, and I have no means to go back home for now. That’s why my goal is to live safely and comfortably in this world.”

Their faces look strange. It’s not like I said anything weird, is it?