Chapter 234: Sleeping Together
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 234: Sleeping Together
Six slaves sat in a circle in the room.
Six slaves—the number, not the carnal kind.
Needless to say, they were the same six who always followed Karami.
The number of slaves around Karami was growing, but these six were the only ones who gathered for meetings.
They often disapproved of one another and frequently clashed.
Yet, there was one thing they had tacitly and unanimously agreed upon without a single word.
Only they had the right to decide on matters big and small concerning Karami. They wouldn't tolerate any other slave interfering.
Not even a mother.
Not even a queen.
For only they had received the salvation known as complete liberation.
Narsha was the first to open the meeting.
“Thank you all for gathering. My name is Narsha Bryan. I am from the House of Count Bryan and currently run the Merchants of Death. It seems I was the first among us to meet the Master.”
It was a simple self-introduction, but it also carried a warning for anyone trying to pull rank: I was here first, so don't forget your place.
“The reason I’ve called you all here today is simple. We all serve the same master, but other than that, we have no connection to one another.”
“What are you trying to say, Narsha?”
At Alfia’s question, Narsha clasped her hands together.
“Why don't we take this opportunity to get to know one another? It might help us understand the reasons behind each other's actions.”
They were only gathered here because they followed the same master, Karami. Otherwise, they were complete strangers to each other.
They were rivals, all racing toward the same goal of winning their master’s affection. In other words, conflict was inevitable.
The only way to find compromise without fighting was through discussion.
No one refused.
They had all been thinking something similar.
“Since I brought it up, I will go first.”
“Narsha, I have a suggestion.”
“What is it, Mirabelle? Would you like to go first?”
“Not that. I just think it would be easier to convey our feelings by showing our memories directly, rather than just talking.”
“Is that possible?”
Mirabelle nodded.
The Heavenly Covenant, in the form of a broom, floated into the center of the circle of slaves.
“If you hold this broom and think of a memory, you can play it back. Like this.”
A scene materialized above the staff. It showed Mirabelle, Naredi, and her father, Harold, living in a small cabin.
“You can play back only the memories you want to show,” she explained.
“I see. That’s a fine piece of magic.”
Narsha took the broom and began her story as she recalled her memories.
“As I just said, my name is Narsha. I was kidnapped by bandits and became a slave. I was fated to become a prostitute and sell my body, but the Master saved me.”
Sold to a brothel to become a whore.
Born the daughter of a count, she was destined to be defiled, selling her body to men whose names she would never know.
On the day she was to receive her first client, despairing at her tragic life, the one who came for her was Karami.
He draped his coat over the barely-clothed Narsha and led her out of the brothel.
To the bewildered Narsha, Karami had said:
—I have just purchased your life. Dedicate that talent of yours to me, and only me, for the rest of your life.
The words she heard that day.
The emotions she felt.
She would never forget any of it. She was certain it would be the first thing to flash before her eyes when she died.
After that, a panorama of memories of Narsha’s travels with Karami flashed by, right up until the moment he left her side.
Presently, the images faded.
“That is all for my introduction. Who’s next?”
*
One by one, the slaves recalled their memories and introduced themselves.
What kind of shackles had bound them. How Karami had brought them salvation.
Even those who were quick to pick fights were quiet now.
Because they knew better than anyone how precious those memories were. And because they knew, they didn't pick fights or belittle them.
It was easy to understand why they were all so obsessed with Karami. After receiving something like that, you couldn't leave even if you were told to.
What they felt was a sense of kinship and, ironically, anxiety.
‘She seems closer to the Master than I am. What if he likes her more than me?’
That thought crossed all of their minds.
As expected, a woman's intuition was never wrong. These others were rivals who had to be dealt with.
“I understand what kind of people you all are. But am I the only one who feels an inexplicable sense of aversion?”
“What a coincidence. I was just thinking the same thing.”
Elize and Alfia exchanged smiles that dripped with artificial sweetness.
“More importantly, to think you let the Master go through such a terrible experience. Doesn't that disqualify you as slaves?”
Elize shot a pointed look at Rin and Azyeth as she spoke.
Both had a history of endangering Karami through their carelessness.
Having no real rebuttal, Rin avoided her gaze, while Azyeth frowned and stared back at Elize.
Azyeth’s glare meant nothing to Elize. She let out a scornful sneer.
“Let’s save the squabbling for later. There’s something else I want to discuss.”
Narsha intervened in the tense atmosphere and brought up the next item on the agenda.
“The Master spoke to us today. He told us not to enter his room without permission. He wouldn't say such a thing without reason… Who went in?”
Narsha’s eyes scanned each of them. Mirabelle, who couldn't lie, flinched, while Alfia’s eyes darted to the side.
“Mirabelle and Alfia.”
“Rin did it too.”
“Hey, no fair snitching!”
“I knew that without you saying anything.”
“Eh.”
When something happened, if you guessed it was Rin, you'd be right eleven times out of ten.
“So, it was the three of you.”
“Wait. Hey, that nun’s acting weird.”
“If you all hadn't made such a fuss, I could have leisurely watched the Master sleeping in the moonlight.”
“…So it was four of you. Why did you go in?”
“I’ll ask you instead. Why wouldn't you go in?”
“Pardon?”
Narsha was taken aback by the little one’s audacity.
Rin set the mood and spoke as if reciting a famous quote.
“Mastah is there. So there's no reason not to go. Or you, Narsha. Have you never slept with Mastah?”
“Of course I…”
Narsha’s voice trailed off.
Hadn't she just seen the other slaves' memories?
Mirabelle in Karami’s arms.
Rin on Karami’s stomach.
Alfia and Azyeth in the same room.
Elize had been at the convent, and Narsha had kicked the opportunity away herself.
Even when they stayed at inns, she had insisted on separate rooms, arguing that a noblewoman couldn't possibly sleep with a man she wasn't married to.
Why had she done that?
She felt like kicking her past self in the ass and shoving her into Karami's room.
“That’s not what’s important. Do not bother the Master any longer.”
“Bother him? It’s an interaction between a master and his slave, no?”
“I dunno about that, but Rin can't sleep without Mastah.”
“It’s embarrassing, but me too…”
“No means no. You’ll disturb the Master’s sleep. Or are you planning to disobey the Master’s command?”
A master’s command was absolute to a slave.
Once she brought that up, they couldn't be so brazen.
But it wasn't as if there were no other options.
“Narsha~ Don't be like that. How about we set up a rotation?”
All they had to do was get Narsha on their side.
“A rotation?”
“Yes. Putting the Master's orders aside, tell me what you honestly think. Don't you want to sleep in the same bed as him?”
“How shameless.”
“You’re not saying no, are you?”
“…”
An opening.
A glint appeared in the eyes of those in favor of the sleepover.
“A rotation! That doesn't sound bad.”
“Rin doesn't want to.”
“Now what’s your problem?”
“Rin wants Mastah all to herself. Rin wants to sleep with Mastah every day. Why do we have to do something like a rotation?”
She had been sleeping with Karami all this time. The idea of only sleeping with him on designated days was absurd to Rin.
“Really? Then why don't we all go sleep there together?”
Mirabelle snatched up Alfia’s sarcastic remark.
“I think that's a great idea! It would be so much fun to lie down together and talk until we fall asleep!”
“Right?”
“When should we go?”
Alfia grinned.
“No time like the present.”
“Alfia.”
“Anyone who doesn't want to can stay here. We'll be the only ones getting scolded. Got it?”
*
Another day has passed safely.
I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, half-expecting to see a bat hanging there.
Somehow, things felt more chaotic now than when they were still being liberated.
It must be a period of adjustment.
Once this passes, things will stabilize.
Time would solve it.
Just as I was thinking that and about to fall asleep, a knock echoed.
For some reason, I had a bad feeling.
“Come in.”
The door creaked open, and Rin peeked her head in, wearing cute pink pajamas.
“Mastaaah… I can't sleep without you. I won't do anything, can I please just sleep next to you?”
A weak voice, a pitiful gaze.
She looked like a puppy waiting desperately for its owner in the rain.
Rin was a troublemaker, but when she asked so politely, I felt bad refusing.
“Come here.”
Rin scampered over and settled in beside me.
Just like before, she wrapped her tail around me.
The familiar fluffiness and warmth.
It seemed I would sleep well tonight.
I was about to drift off, nestled in her tail, when…
Knock, knock.
Another knock.
“Come in.”
This time, it was Mirabelle.
Blue pajamas and a pillow.
Like Rin, she looked somewhat distressed.
“What is it, Mirabelle?”
“I can't sleep… Can I sleep with you, Master?”
“What about Naredi?”
“Mom, Mom… uh, Mom snores. A lot.”
Just how loudly does she snore for her to come all the way here?
There’s no hell quite like trying to sleep next to someone who snores.
“You can come over here too, Mirabelle.”
Mirabelle approached with rabbit-like steps and settled in beside me as well.
Mirabelle on my left, Rin on my right.
A fur blanket and a comfort pillow.
Looks like I’ll sleep even better tonight.
Now, I really have to sleep.
Knock, knock.
But it seemed the world had no intention of letting me rest.
“…Come in.”
It was Alfia.
“Darling, I can't sleep because of withdrawal symptoms. My hands keep shaking and my heart hurts.”
“I see. But how many more people are behind that door?”
Alfia glanced behind her.
“Three?”
That was everyone.
Elize, Azyeth, and even Narsha peeked their heads in. All of them were in their pajamas.
“Can’t you all sleep either?”
“I had a nightmare from my childhood.”
“It’s cold…”
I’d told them not to come without permission, so they’d decided to come and get permission.
“But Narsha, you too?”
Narsha had never agreed, even when I had suggested we sleep in the same room.
She used to declare that it was unthinkable for an unmarried man and woman to share a bed.
“Well…”
Narsha fidgeted, chewing on her lip.
“Narsha, you were just practicing. ‘Mastaah, I'm so scawed.’ Aren't you going to do it?”
“When did I ever practice such a thing, Alfia! Stop slandering me!”
As Narsha shouted, Alfia, with her sensitive hearing, clutched her ears in pain.
Realizing too late that she had made a scene, Narsha flinched when she saw me looking at her.
“Fi-fine. Do whatever you want, sleep with the Master or don't.”
She turned to leave.
“Narsha, come here.”
“But…”
“Are you going to disobey your master's command?”
At the mention of a command, Narsha reluctantly entered the room. She hesitated for a moment before climbing onto the bed.
And then there were the other three, waiting for their turn.
I let out a small sigh.
“All of you, come on.”
As if they had been waiting for those words, they all rushed to the bed.
Even on a bed large enough to roll around on, it was cramped with seven people.
“Someone’s going to fall off while sleeping.”
“Leave that to me.”
Mirabelle used magic to enlarge the bed. It became as massive as one belonging to an emperor with dozens of concubines.
I sat leaning against the headboard, and the slaves clung to me, each claiming a part of my body.
A mixture of perfumes and body scents filled the air.
Everywhere I looked, a slave was gazing at me with moist eyes.
I was afraid to even twitch a finger, conscious of the soft sensations all around me.
It was a scene so overwhelming it pricked my conscience.
It was dangerous in more ways than one. It looked like I wouldn't be getting any sleep today, either.