Chapter 231: You’re the Ones Who Started This
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 231: You’re the Ones Who Started This
Dawn broke.
The six slaves who had gathered in the dead of night met again as soon as morning came.
“So… sleepy…”
“How can you be sleepy at a time like this?”
Azyeth, who had been sleeping soundly while everyone else was awake, had been dragged here by Alfia.
Not only had she gone to bed late the night before, but she had also woken up earlier than usual today. For the sleepyhead Azyeth, it was torture.
While everyone else had neatened their attire, Azyeth alone was in her pajamas.
“My soul… I gave it to Rami…?”
“You really live a carefree life. I wish I could live like you.”
“Tha…nks?”
“I shouldn't even bother.”
Alfia sighed.
Azyeth was the only one who was fine.
The other five were clearly exhausted from lack of sleep.
It was all for the same reason.
Their souls had been passed to Karami.
They had offered them with their own hands.
They thought that if their shackled souls were with Karami, it would help erase the mistrust that had formed between master and slave.
Since they had selfishly held onto Karami to keep him from leaving, they were more than willing to offer their souls as the price.
However, what they feared was their relationship with Karami. They couldn't guess how he would treat them now.
Things becoming awkward.
An invisible wall forming between them.
Fearing that might happen, even the girls who usually competed to cling to him couldn't bring themselves to approach Karami.
“Gumiho. You go first. You were always in his arms whenever you had the chance.”
“Rin has a name, and it's Rin! Call me Rin!”
“Fine, Rin. But wait, why are you small again?”
“Because I want to be.”
Just then, Elize glanced at Azyeth, the corners of her lips curling up.
“The Princess can go. You have to ask him to make you a ring like mine, don't you?”
“…”
Azyeth's eyes, which had been blinking sleepily, suddenly came alive. She narrowed them like blades of ice and glared at Elize.
Narsha, who had been watching them from the side with a merchant's eye for the past few days, came to a neat conclusion.
‘Not a single one of them is normal.’
If there was anyone relatively sane, it was the maid, Mirabelle. She was the only one they could count on.
“Miss Mirabelle?”
“Yes, Lady Narsha.”
“How about you go see the Master, Miss Mirabelle?”
Mirabelle flinched in surprise.
“M-Me?”
“You're the only one we can trust… or rather, I think your youth might work in your favor.”
“If that's the case, Rin is also… Oh, I guess it's just me.”
“What was that? That look just now?”
She suitably ignored Rin, who was thrusting her head forward with a defiant posture.
In the end, it was decided that Mirabelle would go as their representative.
It was partly her age, but also because she was a maid.
If she said she was there to attend to him, it would be a plausible excuse.
Mirabelle walked to Karami's bedroom.
Behind her, the other slaves followed in their various forms.
Alfia, who had projected her consciousness onto a spirit.
Elize, who transformed into a bat and went outside to the window.
Rin, who turned into a fox and slipped into Mirabelle's apron.
Azyeth sent an ice rabbit, and Narsha, who had an appointment that morning, left for her duties, praying that things would go well.
Mirabelle stood before the door.
She was more nervous than ever before.
She took a deep breath and was about to knock—
Click.
“Hm?”
“Hiek?!”
Karami suddenly opened the door and came out.
Mirabelle jumped in surprise.
A successful levitation without magic.
Mirabelle looked up at Karami, clutching her staff tightly.
‘Wh-What should I say?’
Did you sleep well? Good morning? What would you like to do first? A meal? A bath? Or… m.e. f.i.r.s.t?
Just as she was rendered speechless by all sorts of stray thoughts running through her mind…
“Good morning, Miss Mirabelle. Did you have pleasant dreams?”
Karami spoke first.
With a gentle smile. The same smile he always gave her.
At that, Mirabelle shed fat teardrops.
“Oh, my. Why are you crying first thing in the morning?”
“I'm… sorry. I promised to listen to you, Master, but I broke my promise. But I just couldn't imagine being abandoned by you…”
The guilt of disobeying her master's command, unable to overcome her own selfishness. And after anxiously worrying that he would hate her, a wave of relief washed over her, the tension leaving her body as tears flowed on their own.
Karami placed a hand on Mirabelle's cheek and wiped away her tears. Mirabelle silently accepted his touch.
“H-Hyet…?”
Then she let out a moan at a strange sensation.
The hand that had been caressing her cheek brushed back her hair, seemed to fiddle with her ear, and then began to tickle the nape of her neck.
A ticklish, tingling sensation washed over her. A touch that made one feel strange.
“M-Master?”
“What is it? Is there something you want to say?”
“N-No…”
Karami gave a soft smile to the flustered Mirabelle.
He gathered her shimmering indigo hair in his hand, inhaled its scent, then placed a light kiss on it before letting go.
Mirabelle's face had turned red before she knew it. Her expression was stiff. Her gaze wandered.
“And what's this? A cute little fox cub is hiding here.”
Karami suddenly reached into the pocket of Mirabelle's apron and picked up the pink fox.
He held its face in his hands and stroked its belly.
“Th-That tickles, Mastah!”
“Hm? A fox that speaks human words?”
“Kyaeng…”
“The fox seems to be ticklish. I would prefer it if she felt good.”
At Karami's command, the gumiho's soul, now in his possession, responded. A change occurred in Rin's body.
“Kiiing…!”
The ticklishness vanished, replaced by a rush of pleasure.
As if her entire body had become an erogenous zone, a thrill ran through her wherever Karami's hand touched.
The fox, unable to move a muscle, was toyed with.
Karami glanced around, spotting the bat, rabbit, and spirit hidden in various places.
They flinched when their eyes met and scurried away. Karami grinned as if he'd seen something amusing.
Lowering his gaze, he saw the little fox writhing at his touch and Mirabelle, startled by the sudden physical contact, with a hand on her chest.
“Mirabelle, where are the others?”
“Ah, they're probably awake by now…? Should I bring them?”
“Tell them to come for breakfast.”
*
Narsha, who had been attending to her duties since early morning, came alone after receiving Mirabelle's message.
It was the first time Narsha, who always ate her meals in her office, had used this place.
Karami sat at the head of the long table, and the slaves took their respective seats.
It was strange for a master and his slaves to dine together, but no one raised an issue with it.
However, Narsha sensed a strange atmosphere for a different reason. Everyone was acting a little strange.
Three of them were cautiously watching Karami. Two were picking at their food with flushed cheeks.
In particular, Rin, who usually paid no mind to the atmosphere, was in an unusually strange state.
And Karami, the most important person there, was eating his breakfast with a smile that never left his face.
‘Something must have happened this morning….’
Narsha couldn't know the details.
As the awkward meal continued with everyone warily watching each other, Karami spoke.
“The atmosphere at this meal is strange. Is something wrong, everyone?”
No one could answer. Even though they all knew the reason.
“It seems it's because of what happened yesterday.”
At his words, everyone froze. Some kept their heads still, only darting their eyes, while others fixed their gazes on their plates.
They paid more attention to Karami's next words than they would in battle.
“After you all left, I thought long and hard by myself. About what I had missed. About why you all had no choice but to make such a decision, even disobeying my command.”
“…”
“It was my own shortsightedness. It's because I tried to give freedom to beings who, by their very nature as slaves, can never be free.”
The slaves nodded as if to say he was right.
“I will abandon the idea of giving freedom to my slaves. From now on, I will keep my slaves by my side, without a single exception.”
At that, the slaves' faces brightened.
“You don't need to worry. Just live as you did before. Live your entire lives as slaves, and serve me as your master for all eternity.”
“Yes.”
Having received Karami's assurance, the slaves breathed a sigh of relief. Only then could they finally eat with peace of mind.
*
I finished my meal and returned to my room.
A view of the neat city spread out before me. Narsha must have taken great care to arrange this for me.
Not only that, but her devotion was also visible in the small, hard-to-notice details.
She even said the reason she grew the Merchants of Death was for me. The same reason Mirabelle and Rin created their church, and why Alfia brought the elves.
The reason they held me back wasn't for revenge. It was the complete opposite.
It was because their affection for me was too high. Because they liked me too much.
I like them too. Of course I do. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone through all this trouble to set them free.
It's just that our relationship isn't that of an ordinary man and women, but the unique form of master and slaves.
Just like in the game.
I had been gravely mistaken.
I thought that even though they had served their master as slaves in the game, in reality, they would dream of freedom like ordinary people.
But that wasn't the case.
Then and now, they are slaves to the bone. So much so that they would offer me their souls and give up their freedom themselves.
What would happen if I left their side?
Alfia, who self-harmed and turned to drugs.
Rin, who imprisoned me, begging me not to go.
Azyeth, who entered eternal sleep.
They had been fine before we parted, but the moment I left, they resorted to extreme measures.
That's what happened when I was only gone for a short while. I can't imagine what would happen to them if I left for good.
I know that a good ending would not be waiting for them.
In other words, I must remain their master, and they must remain my slaves. Forever.
So, after long deliberation, I've decided to stay here.
I intend to fulfill my role as master so that my lovely, pitiful, and naive slaves will not be hurt.
‘Not that I can go back anyway.’
However, they will have to take full responsibility for the price of keeping me here.
I will unleash all the desires I've suppressed as their master, everything I've wanted to do.
You're the ones who started this.