Chapter 315: Slave Experience (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 315: Slave Experience (8)
“You're grounded. Don't go wandering outside; stay put in the mansion. That's an order.”
“Hmph.”
“Pouting will get you nowhere. Stay out of trouble and behave yourself until I get back.”
And so, Rami, who caused trouble every time she went out, was forbidden from leaving.
Having confined her to the mansion, Alberic left to attend to his duties.
Rami was left alone.
Fortunately, she wasn't locked in a solitary cell or anything. She was allowed to stay in a luxurious guest room.
But staying still and doing nothing was impossibly boring. She had to do something.
She sought out a senior maid.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“Do you want us to get an earful from the young master? The best way you can help is by doing nothing, so just stay put.”
Even the maids who, just yesterday, had been giving Rami all the unpleasant chores, now avoided her as much as possible.
They feared retaliation if they were seen bothering the maid Alberic had taken a liking to.
Rami had been reduced to a walking time bomb within the duchy.
Thanks to that, she wandered aimlessly around the mansion with nothing to do.
What should I do?
Should she escape?
But if she tried to escape and got caught, she'd probably end up tied hand and foot in a solitary cell.
For now, it was in her best interest to be obedient until she was given permission. Not that she wasn't supposed to obey orders anyway, but still.
Just as Rami, having failed to find any form of entertainment, was lazing about on the sofa, the door opened and someone entered.
It was the second son, Claude.
“And you are?”
Rami, who had been rolling around on the sofa, sat up and greeted him.
“Greetings, Young Master Claude.”
“Rami, so this is where you were.”
“You remember my name. I'm honored.”
“Of course. Who in the duchy doesn't know you these days? Though, of course, I remembered your name even before that.”
Claude subtly tried to imply that he was different from the others. Unfortunately, Rami wasn't perceptive enough to notice such subtleties.
“What brings you here?”
“I came to see you... I mean, my brother.”
“The young master went out on business.”
“I see. Then why are you here?”
“The young master ordered me not to take a single step outside the mansion. And the senior maids said the best way to help was to do nothing.”
“What?”
“So I've just been sitting here, staring into space.”
For a moment, Claude clenched his fists.
“This is just bullying!”
Telling her not to go out and not to work. This was blatant ostracism.
He hadn't liked it from the start.
He could have cherished Rami more, but just because Alberic was the eldest son, their father had sent her to him.
As a result, the tragedy of Rami being tormented by Alberic had come to pass.
It was incredibly frustrating and regrettable.
If only I had power…!
He couldn't leave Rami in this hellish place any longer.
Claude held out his hand.
“Let's go.”
“Huh?”
“I'll get you out of here. So take my hand.”
Rami stared blankly at Claude's outstretched hand.
What the hell is wrong with this guy?
Is everyone in this domain missing a screw? She had no idea why they were all like this.
Still, it felt like a waste to just refuse his hand.
There were still so many places she hadn't seen, and she hated being cooped up in this small place.
She decided to play along a little.
“My heart yearns to go out, but I can't. I'm worried the young master will scold me.”
“Don't worry. I'll take full responsibility. If my brother says anything, just tell him I dragged you out.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
“What a sucker…”
“Hm?”
Rami grabbed Claude's hand with both of hers.
“Huh?”
“To think you were so gallant! Alright. I'll trust you and follow you, Young Master Claude!”
“Ha, hahaha! Yes, just trust me and follow! I'll go with you anywhere!”
Men were the same in any world.
Rami figured that if the slave were a man and the master a woman, he would have been liberated and sent home within a week.
*
Rami left the mansion with Claude and wandered through the city.
Staying near the mansion increased the risk of being caught by Alberic, after all.
Thus, the two set out on an outing they called a date.
Claude couldn't take his eyes off Rami as she walked beside him, constantly stealing glances.
He couldn't understand it himself.
He wasn't the eldest, but Claude was still the second son of a duke.
Though rumors of him being a scoundrel were rampant, he was handsome, and considering his background, such things were hardly a flaw.
He received a flood of marriage proposals, not just from the Traul Kingdom, but from neighboring countries as well.
He had seen countless women. Daughters of wealthy magnates, noble ladies, even the princess of a nation.
They were all outstanding beauties, but regardless of their background, they all fawned over him, trying to get into his good graces.
Claude had enjoyed it at first, but now he felt no particular interest in anyone he met.
At most, he would play with maids or slaves to satisfy his lust, and that was all.
But whenever he saw Rami, he reacted like some country boy from a mountain village.
She must be my destined one!
There was no other explanation for this attraction but fate.
He could force her to submit with his authority, but he didn't want to do that to her. He would win Rami's heart as a man.
They had only held hands when leaving the mansion; at some point, Rami had started walking with her hands behind her back.
Claude asked cautiously.
“Rami, it's crowded, so it could be dangerous if we get separated. How about we hold hands?”
“Um…”
“You don't want to?”
“My hands get very sweaty. It would be rude to hold your hand with these, and more than anything… it's embarrassing.”
“That's even bett—”
“...”
“Haha, just kidding. If you don't want to, I won't force you. It's hot out, anyway. I was just saying.”
Claude awkwardly withdrew his hand.
“Is there anywhere you want to go? I'll take you anywhere within the domain.”
“Um, is there a slave market here too?”
“Of course. Why, do you want to go to the slave market?”
“I'd like to have a look.”
“By all means.”
He headed to the slave market, just as Rami wished.
Just because it was in a duchy didn't mean the slave market was luxurious.
Slaves with haggard faces were displayed haphazardly under the scorching sun. There were tents, but they were far from enough to block the summer heat.
The water in their bowls had long run out, and the slaves were wilting from the heat.
“Why did you want to come here? I wouldn't exactly recommend it as a date spot.”
“The slave market was a turning point in my life. It's a very special place to me.”
“...”
That's right.
He often forgot because of her appearance and demeanor, but she was a slave. And a former noble.
After living a life of luxury in a grand mansion, she must have lived no differently from these people once she fell to the status of a slave.
That wistful look in her eyes… she must be seeing her past self in these slaves.
He felt a desire to help her.
“Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Could you buy all the poor slaves here for me?”
“A-All of them?”
“Is it too difficult?”
“Even so, all of them is a bit…”
There were dozens of slaves. He had the money, but he worried about his mother, the duchess, scolding him.
As Claude hesitated, Rami's expression grew somber.
“Right. You're the second son, Lord Claude. I suppose you wouldn't have that kind of wealth.”
“What?”
“It would be better to go back to the mansion and ask Lord Alberic, wouldn't it? He could probably buy a few slaves without any trouble.”
“No…”
“I don't know what he'll ask for in return, but I'll have to endure it—”
“Hey, slave trader.”
“Y-You called, Young Master Claude?”
Claude's finger swept across the area.
“I'm buying every single slave here.”
“A-All of them, you say?”
“What, you think I can't afford these runts?”
“O-Of course not! Understood! I'll hand them all over!”
The slave trader hurriedly began to bring out the slaves.
Claude looked at Rami and shrugged.
“See? I can do this much, too.”
“As expected of Young Master Claude. I knew you were gallant. You're so much more magnanimous than the young master, who just wants to lock me up.”
“Hmph. Of course. If I had been born earlier, I would have become a far greater family head than my brother could ever hope to be.”
A man grows brave in front of the woman he likes. Claude's nose was high enough to pierce the sky.
And beside him, Rami fanned the flames without rest.
He's loving this.
There's a saying. A man may rule the world, but it's a woman who rules the man.
Rami was playing the part of the woman perfectly.
It felt disgusting to be seen as a romantic interest by Claude, but what could she do?
I'm pretty, after all.
Besides, as a former man, she knew exactly what parts of a woman men found attractive and what they liked.
Seducing a mere duke's son was child's play.
“I bought all the slaves like you wanted, Rami. But what are we going to do with them? It'll be difficult to bring them all into the family estate…”
“They'll figure it out if we leave them. We should get going.”
“Just leave them and go back? But we went to all the trouble of buying them! What a waste!”
“I am bound to serve the House of Laurentius for the rest of my life. I want to feel a sense of vicarious satisfaction by liberating them.”
“But…”
He's being needlessly stubborn. I don't want to do this, but I have no choice.
Rami's ultimate move.
She grabbed Claude's hand and gazed deeply into his eyes.
Having shrunk after becoming a woman, Rami had to look up at him.
And then, the explosive plea.
“You have me, don't you, Lord Claude? Or… am I perhaps not enough for you?”
Thump!
It was as if he'd actually heard the sound.
Claude's heart stopped for an instant before starting to pound furiously.
“Of course not! Alright, if you want it that badly, I can't refuse. Hey! As of this moment, all of you are free! Do whatever you want with your lives from now on.”
The slaves, dumbfounded, had no idea what was happening.
Rami smiled sweetly.
“Thank you, Young Master Claude. You're really the only one for me.”
“This is nothing.”
“Shall we return to the mansion?”
“Already?”
“There will be other chances.”
“Alright. Let's head back for today.”
The two of them disappeared in the direction of the mansion.
As the slaves stood there blankly, unsure of what to do, another maid approached them.
A cute maid girl holding a broom.
“Hello. You are the blessed ones who have caught my master's eye. I have come on my master's orders to guide you to paradise.”
When Mirabelle waved her broom, the dirt and dust on the slaves vanished, and their wounds were healed.
Ignoring the astonished gazes of those around her, she created a portal.
“Is there anyone who would like to follow me to paradise? Oh, and if you have a place to return to, I can send you there.”
Some took a portal to a merchant group, others took a portal home.
Having finished guiding the slaves as she was taught, Mirabelle gazed in the direction Rami had disappeared.
She murmured to herself with a worried expression.
“Master, it's fine that you're having fun, but you're going to be in trouble if the others find out.”
Probably in a lot of trouble.
Enough to be grounded for the foreseeable future.