Cheering for a New Start - 12
Thanks to the influx of new labor, the construction wrapped up in no time. We hadn't rebuilt the warehouse yet, but we managed to put up a new wooden palisade. I gazed at the freshly completed fence. A mix of joy at finally finishing the defenses again and anxiety over how long this one would hold churned inside me.
"Wood's still kinda iffy..."
What I really wanted was to level up the base ASAP, unlock better facilities. But reality had its hurdles. Quarrying and hauling stone wasn't something casual labor could handle. We weren't talking small sheds here—this was full-on walls. It'd take serious effort. This incident had driven the point home: wooden structures had limits. We'd have to overhaul them properly sooner or later, no matter the cost.
"Maaaster!"
An Sua came bounding over with her usual bubbly shout and threw herself into my arms.
"Good work."
She'd been crafting wooden furniture with the other girls—wardrobes, chairs, tables, that sort of thing.
"Hehe..."
So soft. I gently stroked her hair. Then Han Seohee strolled up behind her.
"Well, it's all thanks to Master bringing in top-tier slaves. Those bitches are the best workers I've seen out of any slaves. Treatment's not quite slave-level, though."
"Slaves..." I sighed and shook my head. "They're not slaves. They're prisoners. Paying for their crimes."
"That so?" Seohee tilted her head. "They can't go anywhere, just lie around in that cramped spot chattering or do the jobs you give 'em?"
Penned up like animals in wooden cages. The prison wasn't tiny, but no freedom made it hell all the same.
"Hoping the hardship makes 'em reflect... but who knows if it'll stick."
Seohee scratched her head. "Fuck reflection. Just work 'em to the bone. They've got tons of uses."
She really treated the captured women like slaves. No anger, no real grudge—just pragmatism.
"You not pissed at 'em? Without those assholes, we wouldn't need to rebuild the fence."
"Well... I am pissed, but I don't go easy on enemies like you do."
"Huh?"
"Yeah."
The conversation felt off-kilter somehow.
"Anyway, they're slaves, right? Forcing 'em to work."
"Forcing... yeah, kinda."
If bullying labor out of them with strength counted as "using slaves," then maybe I was doing it too.
"Hmm..."
Truth was, a little wordplay could make 'em work "voluntarily." Cut rations a bit, reward hard workers with extras—they'd hustle. It was basically what we did now with "meat sides" or "snacks," just dialed back.
"Kinda gray area."
An Sua tugged my arm insistently. "Enough pointless talk. Let's get productive!"
"...Yeah?"
In this world, agonizing over slavery might be kinda ridiculous anyway.
"So, with Kim Soi and her merc crew—which one's first on your fuck list?"
"What the hell..."
"They ain't pretty enough?"
"Not that."
Every woman I'd met back on Earth was a knockout. The mercs hadn't impressed at first, but cleaned up? Yeah, they turned heads.
"They're prisoners. Didn't bring 'em for that. Got you, anyway..."
"More the merrier with girls, right? Figured that's why you grabbed 'em!"
"Nope!" I'd only wanted pure rehabilitation... and maybe a smidge of payback.
Seohee yawned, bored. "So you ain't releasing 'em? Waste having 'em just make ropes."
"Least a few months... year tops?"
"Generous."
Burglary, attempted theft, arson. Combined, heavy shit.
"Even if I wanted to let 'em go, problems galore."
"Like what?"
"Some in our group resent the mercs. Releasing 'em willy-nilly? Bad vibes."
Groups of strangers always sorted hierarchies—not from malice, just human nature. These women were lucky; they'd survived me without swinging weapons or trashing my place. Folks would see that as "innocents hating criminal mercs? Fair game."
Even post-release, mixing 'em in would spark "unfair" gripes.
"Hmm... that's it?"
"Plus safety. Realistically."
If they just left peacefully, no issue. But if one thought, "Dare lock me up? Revenge first!"—boom, another fire.
"So solve those two, and early release is fine?"
"Huh?"
"They're not ugly or anything. That's it, right..."
An Sua eyed Seohee sparklingly. "Heh heh heh... Seohee, you got an idea!"
"Hey, not in front of Master like that."
Watching the giggling duo, a weird unease hit me.
"...No funny business. You know my lines, right?"
"'Course. Your rules, likes, hates... how mine differ. Crystal."
Still didn't compute.
"Never seen you care about others like this, Seohee... you wanna release 'em?"
"Not willy-nilly. Only with Master's okay."
"Weird. You know 'em?"
"Just faces."
Seohee grinned slyly, glancing at the second-floor HQ where the mercs were held. "Still... stuffy, y'know? Seeing 'em laze around pisses me off. Wanna boot 'em out, make 'em work their asses off... somethin' like that."
"I see..."
"Plus... not used to this. Locking folks up but can't beat 'em raw or go soft. Headache."
A feral glint flashed in Seohee's eyes.
"If they'd pulled that shit on me? Dead on the spot."
"Hey..."
"I know! Not your style. I'm your slave—can't defy you."
She flashed a bright smile and dashed upstairs. "Gonna chat with 'em!"
"Yeah, handle it well."
Hiding my unease, I watched her vanish into HQ.
"How's prison life? Comfy?"
Kim Soi sighed faintly at Han Seohee.
"Fuck off. Here to mock?"
"Nah... old ties, y'know? Might cut you slack. Anything you want?"
Seohee's cackle twisted Soi's face.
"Lemme smoke, then."
Unrealistic demand—just to bitch if denied.
"Sure. C'mon out. Can't inside base."
"...What?"
Soi's eyes bulged. Seohee casually unlocked the cell.
"C-Can I just... walk out? You killing me?"
"Scaredy-cat... relax."
Seohee dragged her out. "Week locked up, and poof—free? Unnerving?"
"Don't ask others. Just 'cause it's me."
Seohee hauled her downstairs confidently. "Master's big on safety. In this range, I can smash your skull anytime... others? Nah."
"True."
Soi knew near-misses all too well—couldn't laugh it off.
They slipped out to a quiet bench. Seohee handed over a cig from her pocket.
"Know you love these. Brought one—take it."
"...Thanks, I guess."
A tiny flame flickered at Soi's fingertip. She lit up, inhaling deep.
"You not?"
"Quit. Gotta watch my mouth lately."
Seohee smirked faintly.
"Anyway, just us... lemme say..."
"What're you—"
Devilish, cruel smile—like temptation incarnate.
"Can't stay locked forever, right?"
Soi eyed her steadily, cig in mouth. A Seohee she didn't know stared back.